Pme-1 as a biomarker to predict and diagnose an increased risk of endometrial cancer and gene silencing of pme-1 to inhibit epithelial to mesenchymal transition
AssigneeMedical Diagnostic Laboratories, LLC
InventorsLyndi Rice, Michelle Pusey, Ewa Wandzioch, Sophie Marie Genevieve Bail, Amy Lynn Wenda
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed are methods of attenuating activity of the PME-1 gene. siRNAs or shRNAs are used to target against PME-1, thereby reducing the PME-1 mRNA. It is disclosed that the siRNAs or shRNAs targeted against PME-1 attenuate the epithelial to mesenchymal transition, thereby inhibit endometrial cancer development. A kit containing siRNA or shRNA reagents for attenuating the PME-1 gene expression is also disclosed.
Claims15
1-7. (canceled)
A method for determining whether a woman has endometrial cancer,
- comprising the steps of:
- (a) obtaining endometrial tissue from a woman suspected of having endometrial cancer;
- (b) isolating nucleic acids from said endometrial tissue;
- (c) quantifying an expression level of PME-1 mRNA in said isolated nucleic acid by performing a molecular assay selected from the group consisting of real-time PCR and qRT-PCR;
- and
- (d) diagnosing said woman as having endometrial cancer, if an increased expression level of PME-1 mRNA in said endometrial tissue was determined relative to a normal endometrial tissue.
A kit for detecting endometrial cancer in a human, comprising:
- a) a reagent for quantifying PME-1 expression level;
- and b) an instruction for use of said reagent in quantifying PME-1 expression level, wherein an increased PME-1 expression level is indicative of an increased risk in endometrial cancer.
A method of inhibiting epithelial to mesenchymal transition of an endometrial cell, comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing an endometrial cell
- (b) providing a RNAi targeted against PME-1 gene, said RNAi hybridizes to a target sequence of PME-1 mRNA, wherein said RNAi is at least one RNAi selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:
- 2, 3, 5 and 7;
- (c) exposing said endometrial cell to said RNAi, thereby decreasing PME-1 mRNA expression level,
- wherein said RNAi inhibits said epithelial to mesenchymal transition as evidenced by at least one characteristic selected from the group consisting of reduced E-cadherin expression, reduced vimentin expression and reduced foci formation.
A method for inhibiting epithelial to mesenchymal transition in endometrial cells of a woman suspected of suffering from endometrial cancer, comprising the step of administering an effective amount of a RNAi targeted against PME-1 gene to said woman, whereby said RNAi inhibits PME-1 mRNA expression so as to inhibit epithelial to mesenchymal transition in endometrial cells.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.