Monocyte-derived Nucleic Acids and Related Compositions and Methods
Nucleic acids encoding various monocyte-derived proteins and related compositions, including purified proteins and specific antibodies are described. Methods of using such composition are also provided.
1 . An isolated polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence derived from SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6, 8 or 10.
2 . The polypeptide of claim 1 comprising the amino acid sequence of the mature protein.
3 . An isolated nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding an amino acid sequence derived from SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6, 8 or 10.
4 . The nucleic acid of claim 3 wherein the nucleotide sequence encodes the mature protein.
5 . The nucleic acid of claim 4 comprising the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID:
NO 1, 3, 5, 7 or 9.
6 . A fusion protein comprising the polypeptide of claim 1 .
7 . A binding compound which specifically binds to the polypeptide of claim 1 .
8 . The binding compound of claim 7 which is an antibody or antibody fragment.
9 . The binding compound of claim 8 wherein the anitbody is a monoclonal antibody.
10 . An expression vector comprising the nucleic acid of claim 3 .
11 . A host cell comprising the vector of claim 10 .
12 . A process for recombinatly producing a polypeptide comprising culturing the host cell of claim 11 under conditions in which the polypeptide is expressed.
13 . A method for detecting a specific nucleic acid sequence in a sample, said method comprising the steps of:
(i) contacting a sample suspected to contain a specific nucleic acid sequence with a probe comprising a nucleic acid sequence comprising at least 8 consecutive nucleotides selected from SEQ ID NO: 1, 3, 5, 7, or 9 under conditions in which a hybrid can form between said probe and the specific nucleic acid in said sample; and
(ii) detecting any hybrid formed in step (i), wherein detection of said hybrid indicates the presence of the specific nucleic acid sequence in said sample.
14 . The method of claim 13 further comprising amplifying said specific sequence in said sample prior to said detecting step.
15 . A method for detecting a specific antigenic component in a sample, said method comprising the steps of:
(i) contacting a sample suspected to contain a specific antigenic component encoded by an amino acid sequence derived from SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10 with an antibody specific for said component, under conditions in which a stable antigen-antibody complex can form between said antibody and said antigenic component in said sample; and
(ii) detecting any antigen-antibody complex formed in step (i), wherein detection of an antigen-antibody complex indicates the presence of said antigenic component in said sample.
16 . A method of screening for candidate therapeutic agents comprising:
selecting as a target sequence a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence derived from SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6, 8 or 10;
contacting a test compound with said target sequence; and
selecting as candidate therapeutic agent those test compounds which bind to the target sequence.