Mitotic kinesin-like protein-1, MKLP1, and uses therof priority

1 . A method for treatment of an apoptosis-related disease in a subject comprising administering to said subject a therapeutically effective amount of an inhibitor of the MKLP1 polypeptide, in a dosage sufficient to inhibit MKLP1 so as to thereby treat the subject.

2 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the inhibitor is administered in conjunction with a chemotherapeutic agent.

3 . (canceled)

4 . (canceled)

5 . A method according to claim 28 , wherein the inhibitor is an siRNA comprising consecutive nucleotides having the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:4.

6 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the apoptosis-related disease is a cancer.

7 . A method for potentiating a chemotherapeutic treatment of an apoptosis-related disease in a subject comprising administering to said subject a therapeutically effective amount of an inhibitor of the human MKLP1 polypeptide in conjunction with a chemotherapeutic agent.

8 . (canceled)

9 . (canceled)

10 . A method according to claim 7 , wherein the inhibitor is an siRNA comprising consecutive nucleotides having the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:4.

11 . A method according to claim 7 , wherein the apoptosis-related disease is a cancer.

12 - 25 . (canceled)

26 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the inhibitor of the MKLP1 polypeptide is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) an antisense oligonucleotide complementary to all or a portion of a nucleic acid encoding said MKLP1 polypeptide, said oligonucleotide being capable of inhibiting the expression of said polypeptide;

(b) a modified human MKLP1 polypeptide which is capable of inhibiting the viability activity of the unmodified human MKLP1 polypeptide in a dominant negative manner;

(c) an siRNA;

(d) an expression vector comprising a nucleic acid encoding the antisense oligonucleotide of (a), the modified polypeptide of (b), or the siRNA of (c);

(e) an antibody capable of binding the human MKLP1 polypeptide and at least partially inactivating the viability activity thereof; and

(f) a small chemical molecule.

27 . The method according to claim 26 , wherein the inhibitor of the MKLP1 polypeptide is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) an antisense oligonucleotide complementary to all or a portion of a nucleic acid encoding said MKLP1 polypeptide, said oligonucleotide being capable of inhibiting the expression of said polypeptide; and

(b) an siRNA.

28 . The method according to claim 27 , wherein the inhibitor is an siRNA directed to the MKLP1 gene.