Novel human pyrophosphatase

Abstract

The present invention provides a human pyrophosphatase (HPYP) and polynucleotides which identify and encode HPYP. The invention also provides genetically engineered expression vectors and host cells comprising the nucleic acid sequences encoding HPYP and a method for producing HPYP. The invention also provides for use of HPYP and agonists, antibodies, or antagonists specifically binding HPYP, in the prevention and treatment of cancer and inflammatory diseases. Additionally, the invention provides for the use of antisense molecules to polynucleotides encoding HPYP for the treatment of diseases associated with the expression of HPYP. The invention also provides diagnostic assays which utilize the polynucleotide, or fragments or the complement thereof, and antibodies specifically binding HPYP.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A substantially purified human pyrophosphatase (HPYP) comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 or fragments thereof.  
     
     
         2 . An isolated and purified polynucleotide sequence encoding HPYP of    claim 1   .  
     
     
         3 . A polynucleotide sequence which hybridizes under stringent conditions to the polynucleotide sequence of    claim 2   .  
     
     
         4 . A hybridization probe comprising the polynucleotide sequence of    claim 2   .  
     
     
         5 . An isolated and purified polynucleotide sequence comprising SEQ ID NO:2 or variants thereof  
     
     
         6 . A polynucleotide sequence which is complementary to SEQ ID NO:2 or variants thereof.  
     
     
         7 . A hybridization probe comprising the polynucleotide sequence of    claim 6   .  
     
     
         8 . An expression vector containing the polynucleotide sequence of    claim 2   .  
     
     
         9 . A host cell containing the vector of    claim 8   .  
     
     
         10 . A method for producing a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 the method comprising the steps of: 
 a) culturing the host cell of    claim 9    under conditions suitable for the expression of the polypeptide; and    b) recovering the polypeptide from the host cell culture.    
     
     
         11 . A purified antibody which binds specifically to the polypeptide of    claim 1   .  
     
     
         12 . A purified agonist which specifically binds to and modulates the activity of the polypeptide of    claim 1   .  
     
     
         13 . A purified antagonist which specifically binds to and modulates the activity of the polypeptide of    claim 1   .  
     
     
         14 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising the purified antagonist of    claim 13    in conjunction with a suitable pharmaceutical carrier.  
     
     
         15 . A method for treating inflammatory disease comprising administering to a subject in need of such treatment an effective amount of the pharmaceutical composition of    claim 14   .  
     
     
         16 . A method for treating cancer comprising administering to a subject in need of such treatment an effective amount of the pharmaceutical composition of    claim 14   .  
     
     
         17 . A method for detection of polynucleotides encoding HPYP of    claim 1    in a biological sample comprising the steps of: 
 a) hybridizing a polynucleotide consisting of SEQ ID NO:2 to nucleic acid material of a biological sample, thereby forming a hybridization complex; and  
 b) detecting said hybridization complex, wherein the presence of said complex correlates with the presence of a polynucleotide encoding HPYP in said biological sample.  
 
     
     
         18 . The method of    claim 17    wherein before hybridization, the nucleic acid material of the biological sample is amplified by the polymerase chain reaction.