Use of anti-family with sequence similarity 19, member A5 antibodies for the treatment and diagnosis of mood disorders

1. A method of determining a FAM19A5 protein level in a subject having a mood disorder comprising detecting whether the FAM19A5 protein level from a biological sample obtained from the subject is higher compared to a corresponding level from a normal control,

wherein the detecting comprises contacting the biological sample with an antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof that specifically binds to a FAM19A5 protein (anti-FAM19A5 antibody) and measuring the FAM19A5 protein level in the biological sample, and

wherein the anti-FAM19A5 antibody comprises a heavy chain CDR1, CDR2, and CDR3, and a light chain CDR1, CDR2, and CDR3, wherein the heavy chain CDR1, CDR2, and CDR3 comprises the amino acid sequences set forth in SEQ ID NOs: 14, 15, and 16, respectively, and the light chain CDR1, CDR2, and CDR3 comprises the amino acid sequences set forth in SEQ ID NOs:

26, 27, and 28, respectively.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the FAM19A5 protein level from the biological sample is about 2-fold higher compared to the corresponding level from the normal control.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the FAM19A5 protein level is measured by an immunohistochemistry, a Western blotting, a radioimmunoassay, an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), a radioimmunodiffusion, an immunoprecipitation assay, an Ouchterlony immunodiffusion method, a rocket Immunoelectrophoresis, a tissue immunostaining method, a complement fixation assay, FACS, a protein chip, or any combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the biological sample comprises a tissue, cell, blood, serum, plasma, saliva, urine, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), or any combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mood disorder comprises a major depressive disorder (MDD), bipolar disorder (BD), minor depressive disorder, persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia), seasonal affective disorder (SAD), psychotic depression, postpartum depression, premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), situational depression, atypical depression, anxiety disorder, or any combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising administering to the subject an anti-depressant.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the anti-depressant comprises a FAM19A5 antagonist, which is an antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof that specifically binds to a FAM19A5 protein (anti-FAM19AS5 antibody).

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the anti-FAM19A5 antibody comprises a heavy chain CDR1, CDR2, and CDR3, and a light chain CDR1, CDR2, and CDR3, wherein the heavy chain CDR1, CDR2, and CDR3 comprises the amino acid sequences set forth in SEQ ID NOs: 14, 15, and 16, respectively, and the light chain CDR1, CDR2, and CDR3 comprises the amino acid sequences set forth in SEQ ID NOs: 26, 27, and 28, respectively.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the anti-FAM19A5 antibody comprises a heavy chain variable region (VH) and a light chain variable region (VL), wherein the VH comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 36 and the VL comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 40.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the anti-FAM19A5 antibody comprises a heavy chain variable region (VH) and a light chain variable region (VL), wherein the VH comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 36 and the VL comprises the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 40.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the antigen-binding fragment thereof comprises a Fab, a Fab′, a F(ab′)2, a Fv, or a single chain Fv (scFv).

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the antigen-binding fragment thereof comprises a Fab, a Fab′, a F(ab′)2, a Fv, or a single chain Fv (scFv).

13. The method of claim 7 , wherein the anti-FAM19A5 antibody is a chimeric antibody or a humanized antibody.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the anti-FAM19A5 antibody is a chimeric antibody or a humanized antibody.