Autoantigen-like protein

Abstract

? The invention provides an autoantigen-like protein (AUTOP) and polynucleotides which identify and encode AUTOP. The invention also provides expression vectors, host cells, agonists, antibodies and antagonists. The invention also provides methods for treating disorders associated with expression of AUTOP.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An isolated polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1  
     
     
         2 . A method for producing a polypeptide of    claim 1   , the method comprising: 
 a) culturing a cell under conditions suitable for expression of the polypeptide, wherein    said cell is transformed with a recombinant polynucleotide, and said recombinant polynucleotide comprises a promoter sequence operably linked to a polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide of    claim 1   , and    b) recovering the polypeptide so expressed.    
     
     
         3 . A method for detecting a transcript encoding a polypeptide in a sample, the method comprising: 
 a) hybridizing a polynucleotide which encodes the polypeptide of    claim 1    with the sample containing nucleic acids,    b) detecting complex formation between the polynucleotide and at least one nucleic acid of the sample, wherein complex formation indicates the presence of the transcript of the polypeptide in the sample.    
     
     
         4 . The method of    claim 3   , wherein the nucleic acids of the sample are amplified prior to hybridization.  
     
     
         5 . A composition comprising an effective amount of a polypeptide of    claim 1    and an acceptable excipient.  
     
     
         6 . A method for screening a compound for effectiveness as an agonist of a polypeptide of    claim 1   , the method comprising: 
 a) exposing a sample comprising a polypeptide of    claim 1    to a compound, and    b) detecting agonist activity in the sample. if present, the amount thereof.    
     
     
         13 . A method for detecting a target polynucleotide in a sample, said target polynucleotide having a sequence of a polynucleotide of    claim 10   , the method comprising: 
 a) amplifying said target polynucleotide or fragment thereof using polymerase chain reaction amplification, and    b) detecting the presence or absence of said amplified target polynucleotide or fragment thereof, and, optionally, if present, the amount thereof.    
     
     
         14 . A method for screening a compound for effectiveness in altering expression of a target polynucleotide, wherein said target polynucleotide comprises a polynucleotide sequence of    claim 10   , the method comprising: 
 a) exposing a sample comprising the target polynucleotide to a compound, under conditions suitable for the expression of the target polynucleotide,    b) detecting altered expression of the target polynucleotide, and    c) comparing the expression of the target polynucleotide in the presence of varying amounts of the compound and in the absence of the compound.    
     
     
         15 . A method for assessing toxicity of a test compound, said method comprising: 
 a) treating a biological sample containing nucleic acids with the test compound;    b) hybridizing the nucleic acids of the treated biological sample with a probe comprising at least 20 contiguous nucleotides of a polynucleotide of    claim 10    under conditions whereby a specific hybridization complex is formed between said probe and a target polynucleotide in the biological sample, said target polynucleotide comprising a polynucleotide sequence of a polynucleotide of    claim 10    or fragment thereof;    c) quantifying the amount of hybridization complex; and    d) comparing the amount of hybridization complex in the treated biological sample with the amount of hybridization complex in an untreated biological sample, wherein a difference in the amount of hybridization complex in the treated biological sample is indicative of toxicity of the test compound.    
     
     
         16 . A purified antibody which specifically binds to the polypeptide of    claim 1   .  
     
     
         17 . The antibody of    claim 16   , wherein the antibody is: 
 (a) a chimeric antibody;    (b) a single chain antibody;    (c) a Fab fragment;    (d) a F(ab′) 2  fragment;    (e) a Fv fragment; or    (f) a humanized antibody.    
     
     
         18 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising an antibody of    claim 16    and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.  
     
     
         19 . A method of diagnosing a condition or disease associated with the expression of AUTOP in a subject, comprising administering to said subject an effective amount of the pharmaceutical composition of    claim 18   .  
     
     
         20 . A pharmaceutical composition of    claim 18   , wherein the antibody is labeled.  
     
     
         21 . A method of diagnosing a condition or disease associated with the expression of AUTOP in a subject, comprising administering to said subject an effective amount of the pharmaceutical composition of    claim 20   .  
     
     
         22 . A method of preparing a polyclonal antibody with the specificity of the antibody of    claim 16    comprising: 
 a) immunizing an animal with a polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 1 or an antigenically-effective fragment thereof under conditions to elicit an antibody response;  
 b) isolating animal antibodies; and  
 c) screening the isolated antibodies with the polypeptide thereby identifying a polyclonal antibody binds specifically to a polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 1.  
 
     
     
         23 . An antibody produced by a method of    claim 22   .  
     
     
         24 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising the antibody of    claim 23    in conjunction with a suitable pharmaceutical carrier.  
     
     
         25 . A method of making a monoclonal antibody with the specificity of the antibody of    claim 16    comprising: 
 a) immunizing an animal with a polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 1 or an antigenically-effective fragment thereof under conditions to elicit an antibody response;  
 b) isolating antibody producing cells from the animal;  
 c) fusing the antibody producing cells with immortalized cells in culture to form monoclonal antibody-producing hybridoma cells;  
 d) culturing the hybridoma cells; and  
 e) isolating from the culture monoclonal antibodies which binds specifically to a polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 1.  
 
     
     
         26 . A monoclonal antibody produced by a method of    claim 25   .  
     
     
         27 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising the antibody of claim  26  in conjunction with a suitable pharmaceutical carrier.  
     
     
         28 . The antibody of    claim 16   , wherein the antibody is produced by screening a Fab expression library.  
     
     
         29 . The antibody of    claim 16   , wherein the antibody is produced by screening a recombinant immunoglobulin library.  
     
     
         30 . A method for detecting a polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 1 in a sample comprising the steps of: 
 a) combining the antibody of    claim 16    with a sample under conditions to allow specific binding; and    b) detecting specific binding, wherein specific binding indicates the presence of polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 1 in the sample.    
     
     
         31 . A method of using an antibody to purify polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 1 from a sample, the method comprising: 
 a) combining the antibody of    claim 16    with a sample under conditions to allow specific binding; and    b) separating the antibody from the protein, thereby obtaining purified polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 1.