ADAM12 AS A BIOMARKER FOR BLADDER CANCER
The invention generally relates to isolated human or humanized antibodies or functional fragments thereof that include an antigen binding region that specifically binds a form of a disintegrin and metalloprotease 12 (ADAM12) present in a tissue or body fluid that is indicative of a cancer.
1 - 16 . (canceled)
17 . An isolated human or humanized antibody or functional fragment thereof comprising an antigen binding region that specifically binds a form of a disintegrin and metalloprotease 12 (ADAM12) present in a tissue or body fluid that is indicative of a cancer.
18 . The antibody according to claim 17 , wherein the cancer is bladder cancer or ovarian cancer.
19 . The antibody according to claim 17 , wherein the body fluid is urine.
20 . The antibody according to claim 17 , wherein the form of ADAM 12 is approximately a 68 kDa fragment of ADAM12.
21 . The antibody according to claim 17 , wherein the antibody is a polyclonal antibody or functional fragment thereof.
22 . The antibody according to claim 17 , wherein the antibody is a monoclonal antibody or functional fragment thereof.
23 . The antibody according to claim 17 , wherein the antibody further comprises a label.
24 . The antibody according to claim 23 , wherein the label is an optical label.
25 . The antibody according to claim 24 , wherein the optical label is a fluorescent label.
26 . A method of diagnosing a cancer or recurrence of a cancer in a subject, the method comprising:
obtaining a tissue or body fluid from a subject;
contacting to the tissue or body fluid an antibody comprising an antigen binding region that specifically binds a form of a disintegrin and metalloprotease 12 (ADAM12) present in the tissue or body fluid that is indicative of a cancer; and
diagnosing the subject as having a cancer or a recurrence of a cancer based on results of the contacting step.
27 . The method according to claim 26 , wherein the cancer is bladder cancer or ovarian cancer.
28 . The method according to claim 26 , wherein the body fluid is urine.
29 . The method according to claim 26 , wherein the form of ADAM12 is approximately a 68 kDa fragment of ADAM12.
30 . The method according to claim 26 , wherein the antibody is a polyclonal antibody or functional fragment thereof.
31 . The method according to claim 26 , wherein the antibody is a monoclonal antibody or functional fragment thereof.
32 . The method according to claim 26 , wherein the antibody further comprises a label.
33 . The method according to claim 32 , wherein the label is an optical label.
34 . The method according to claim 33 , wherein the optical label is a fluorescent label.
35 . The method according to claim 26 , further comprising detecting at least one other combinatorial marker that is associated with a cancer.
36 . The method according to claim 35 , wherein the combinatorial marker is selected from the group consisting of ADAMS, ADAM10, matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2) and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9).