Pharmaceutical compositions comprising DENND1A variant 2 and methods of use thereof

1. A pharmaceutical composition comprising an antibody or an antigen binding fragment thereof and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, wherein said antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof specifically recognizes DENN/MADD domain containing 1A variant 2 (DENND1A.V2) protein and does not specifically recognize DENN/MADD domain containing 1A variant 1 (DENND1A.V1) protein.

2. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 , wherein said antigen binding fragment is selected from the group consisting of Fab fragments, Fab′ fragments, F(ab′) 2 fragments, Fd fragments, Fv fragments, scFv fragments, and combinations thereof.

3. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 , wherein said antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof specifically recognizes at least one epitope present in the amino acid sequence:

(SEQ ID NO: 5)

NTIATPATLHILQKSITHFAAKFPTRGWTSSSH.

4. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 , wherein said antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof specifically recognizes at least one epitope present in the amino acid sequence:

QKSITHFAAKFPTRGWTSSSH.

(SEQ ID NO: 6)

5. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 , wherein said antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof specifically recognizes at least one epitope comprising at least 4 contiguous amino acids in the sequence NTIATPATLHILQKSITHFAAKFPTRGWTSSSH (SEQ ID NO:5).

6. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 , wherein said antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof specifically recognizes at least one epitope present in at least one of the following amino acid sequences: NTIATPA; TIATPAT; IATPATL; ATPATLH; TPATLHI; PATLHIL; ATLHILQ; TLHILQK; LHILQKS; HILQKSI; ILQKSIT; LQKSITH; QKSITHF; KSITHFA; SITHFAA; ITHFAAK; THFAAKF; HFAAKFP; FAAKFPT; AAKFPTR; AKFPTRG; KFPTRGW; FPTRGWT; PTRGWTS; TRGWTSS; RGWTSSS; and GWTSSSH (SEQ ID NO:7 to SEQ ID NO:33).

7. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 , wherein said antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof contains an amino acid sequence comprising residues 1-116 and 133-240 of SEQ ID NO:53.

8. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 , wherein said antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof contains an amino acid sequence comprising the complementary determining regions (CDRs) of SEQ ID NOs: 62 and 63.

9. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 , wherein said antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof contains an amino acid sequence comprising the CDRs of SEQ ID NO: 65 and wherein said antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof contains a light chain comprising the three CDRs.

10. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 , wherein said composition is present in a form suitable for parenteral, oral, intrapulmonary, or intranasal administration.

11. An article of manufacture comprising a container and a pharmaceutical composition contained therein, wherein said pharmaceutical composition comprises an antibody which specifically recognizes DENND1A.V2 protein and does not specifically recognize DENND1A.V1 protein and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and further comprising an insert indicating that the pharmaceutical composition can be used to treat a disorder that is positively correlated with expression of DENND1A.V2 mRNA and/or protein.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 11 , wherein said disorder is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

13. The article of manufacture of claim 11 , wherein said container is a syringe, vial, or intravenous solution bag.

14. A method for the treatment of a disorder that is positively correlated with expression of DENND1A.V2 mRNA and/or protein comprising

administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising an antibody or an antigen binding fragment thereof and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, wherein said antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof specifically recognizes DENND1A.V2 protein and does not specifically recognize DENND1A.V1 protein.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein said disorder is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein said disorder is type II diabetes associated with PCOS.

17. A method for altering signaling by cell surface receptors in cells having increased DENND1A.V2 expression as compared to control cells comprising

contacting said cells with a pharmaceutical composition comprising an antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, wherein said antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof specifically recognizes DENND1A.V2 protein and does not specifically recognize DENND1A.V1 protein.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein said cells are selected from the group consisting of theca cells, adipose cells, skeletal muscle cells, endometrial cells, and granulosa cells.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein contacting said cells with said pharmaceutical composition decreases androgen and/or progesterone biosynthesis in said cells and/or decreases gene expression of CYP17A1 and/or CYP11A1 mRNA and/or protein in said cells.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein said decreasing of the androgen and/or progesterone biosynthesis in said cells and/or said decreasing of the gene expression of CYP17A1 and/or CYP11A1 mRNA and/or protein in said cells reduces or limits symptoms of excess androgen production and/or anovulation associated with hyperandrogenemia.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein said symptoms of excess androgen production comprise hirsutism.

22. The method of claim 18 , wherein said antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof reduces or limits other phenotypes associated with PCOS selected from the group consisting of abnormal insulin signaling, insulin resistance in adipose, skeletal muscle, and endometrial tissue, abnormal FSH signaling in granulosa cells, and combinations thereof.

23. The method of claim 15 , wherein said disorder is hyperandrogenemia associated with PCOS.