Protein, an antibody and measurement of the protein

1. A method for determining the occurrence or level of a mammalian protein in a sample, wherein the mammalian protein is pro-phospholipase B (PLB-II) and comprises at least one SU2 subunit comprising SEQ ID NO: 3, the SU2 subunit having a molecular weight within the range of 30-60 kDa, the method comprising:

contacting the sample with a phospholipase B enzymatic reactant, and

determining the presence or amount of consumed or remaining enzymatic reactant after such contact.

2. The method of claim 1 , for diagnosing a disease condition associated with an abnormal level of the mammalian protein in a mammalian patient, wherein the method further comprises comparing the determined amount of enzymatic reactant with an amount of enzymatic reactant representative of healthy individuals of the same species, wherein a determined amount that deviates from the amount representative of healthy individuals of the same species is an indication that said patient suffers from the disease condition.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the disease condition is i) an inflammatory disease/inflammation, ii) a microbial infection, iii) a cardiovascular disease, or iv) a lipid disorder.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the disease condition is selected from the group consisting of bacterial infection, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and inflammatory bowel disease.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the disease condition is a lipid disorder involving neutrophil granulocytes and/or monocytes/macrophages.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mammalian protein comprises an SU2 subunit and is devoid of an SU1 subunit comprising SEQ ID NO: 2 and having a molecular weight within the range of 15-35 kDa.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mammalian protein comprises at least one SU1 subunit comprising SEQ ID NO: 2 and having a molecular weight within the range of 15-35 kDa, wherein the SU1 subunit and the SU2 subunit are derived from the same mammalian species.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the mammalian protein has a molecular weight of up to 240 kDa.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the mammalian protein comprises two SU1 subunits and two SU2 subunits.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the SU1 subunits are of 25 kDa molecular weight and the SU2 subunits are of 45 kDa molecular weight.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the SU1 subunits are of 25 kDa molecular weight and the SU2 subunits are of 45 kDa molecular weight.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mammalian protein is devoid of a lipase consensus motif of five amino acid residues having glycine at both end positions and serine in the middle position.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mammalian protein is labelled with an analytically detectable tag, is immobilized to a solid phase, or is equipped with an immobilizing tag that renders the mammalian protein immobilizable to a solid phase.

14. A method for determining the capability of a compound to transform or to inhibit the transformation of a selected mammalian protein in pro-phospholipase B form to an enzyme active phospholipase B form, comprising the steps of:

(i) selecting a mammalian protein comprising at least one SU2 subunit comprising SEQ ID NO: 3, the SU2 subunit having a molecular weight within the range of 30-60 kDa, which has been determined as pro-phospholipase B;

(ii) bringing the selected mammalian protein, a substrate for phospholipase B, and the compound in contact with each other under activating conditions,

(iii) measuring the conversion of the substrate as a function of time, and

(iv) determining from said conversion the capability of the compound to activate the protein to phospholipase B.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the mammalian protein comprises an SU2 subunit and is devoid of an SU1 subunit comprising SEQ ID NO: 2 and having a molecular weight within the range of 15-35 kDa.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the mammalian protein comprises at least one SU1 subunit comprising SEQ ID NO: 2 and having a molecular weight within the range of 15-35 kDa, wherein the SU1 subunit and the SU2 subunit are derived from the same mammalian species.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the mammalian protein comprises two SU1 subunits and two SU2 subunits.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the SU1 subunits are of 25 kDa molecular weight and the SU2 subunits are of 45 kDa molecular weight.

19. A method for determining the capability of a compound to enhance or inhibit the enzymatic activity of a selected protein having phospholipase B enzyme activity, comprising the steps of:

(i) selecting a protein comprising an activated form of a mammalian protein comprising at least one SU2 subunit comprising SEQ ID NO: 3, the SU2 subunit having a molecular weight within the range of 30-60 kDa, wherein the activated form has been determined as having phospholipase B enzyme activity;

(ii) bringing the selected protein, a substrate for phospholipase B, and the compound in contact with each other under activating conditions,

(iii) measuring conversion of the substrate as a function of time, and

(iv) determining from said conversion the capability of the compound to enhance or inhibit the phospholipase B enzyme activity.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the selected protein has a molecular weight that is at least 0.5 kDa lower than non-activated mammalian protein.