Immune reactivity to expressed activated oncogenes for diagnosis and treatment of malignancy
AssigneeWashington Research Foundation
InventorsMartin A. Cheever, David J. Peace
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods for the detection, monitoring and treatment of malignancies are disclosed. Detection of the proliferation of T cells in response to in vitro exposure to a protein expression product of an activated oncogene or cancer-related gene associated with a malignancy, or detection of immunocomplexes formed between the protein expression product and antibodies in body fluid, allows the diagnosis of the presence of a malignancy. The present invention also discloses methods and compositions for treating a malignancy.
Claims20
A method of screening for the presence of a malignancy in a warm-blooded animal, wherein an activated oncogene or cancer-related gene is associated with the malignancy, comprising the steps of:
- (a) contacting a body fluid, suspected of containing antibodies specific for a protein expression product having an altered primary sequence of an activated oncogene or cancer-related gene associated with the malignancy, with at least one protein expression product having an altered primary sequence of an activated oncogene or cancer-related gene associated with the malignancy;
- (b) incubating the body fluid under conditions and for a time sufficient to allow immunocomplexes to form;
- and
- (c) detecting the presence or absence of one or more immunocomplexes formed between the protein expression product and antibodies in the body fluid specific for the protein expression product, thereby determining the presence or absence of the malignancy.
A method for monitoring the effectiveness of cancer therapy in a warm-blooded animal with a malignancy, wherein an activated oncogene or cancer-related gene is associated with the malignancy, comprising the steps of:
- (a) contacting a first body fluid sample taken From the warm-blooded animal prior of initiation or therapy, with at least one protein expression product having an altered primary sequence of an activated oncogene or cancer-related gene associated with the malignancy;
- (b) incubating the body fluid under conditions and for a time sufficient to allow immunocomplexes to form;
- (c) detecting immunocomplexes formed between the protein expression product and antibodies in the body fluid specific for the protein expression product;
- (d) repeating steps (a), (b), and (c) on a second body fluid sample taken from the animal subsequent to the initiation of therapy;
- and
- (e) comparing the number of immunocomplexes detected in the first and second body fluid samples, thereby monitoring the effectiveness of the therapy in the animal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.