Human Hox C10 and polynucleotides encoding

Abstract

This invention relates to newly identified polynucleotides, polypeptides encoded by such polynucleotides, the use of such polynucleotides and polypeptides, as well as the production of such polynucleotides and polypeptides. More particularly, the polypeptides of the present invention are human Hox C10 polypeptides. The invention also relates to identifying mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) or other cells comprising such polypeptides or polynucleotides that encode the polypeptides.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An isolated polypeptide comprising: 
 a mature polypeptide having an amino acid sequence encoded by a polynucleotide which is at least 95% identical to the polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO:13.    
     
     
         2 . The isolated polypeptide of  claim 1  wherein any difference in amino acid sequence between said isolated polypeptide and the sequence os SEQ ID NO:14 is due solely to conservative amino acid substitutions.  
     
     
         3 . The isolated polypeptide of  claim 1 , comprising amino acids 2 to 284 of SEQ ID NO:14.  
     
     
         4 . The isolated polypeptide of  claim 1 , comprising amino acids 1 to 284 of SEQ ID NO:14.  
     
     
         5 . An isolated polypeptide comprising: 
 a mature polypeptide encoded by a polynucleotide which is at least 95% identical to the human cDNA contained in ATCC Deposit No. 209323.    
     
     
         6 . The isolated polypeptide of  claim 5  comprising the mature polypeptide encoded by the human cDNA in ATCC Deposit No. 209323.  
     
     
         7 . An antibody that reacts with the polypeptide of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         8 . An antagonist of the polypeptide of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         9 . An agonist of the polypeptide of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         10 . A method for treating a patient having need of a human Hox C10 polypeptide comprising: administering to the patient a therapeutically effective amount of the polypeptide of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said therapeutically effective amount of the polypeptide is administered by providing to the patient DNA encoding said polypeptide and expressing said polypeptide in vivo.  
     
     
         12 . A method for treating a patient in need of inhibiting the activity of a human Hox C10 polypeptide comprising: administering to the patient a therapeutically effective amount of the antagonist of  claim 8 .  
     
     
         13 . A method for the treatment of a patient having need of a human Hox C10 polypeptide comprising: administering to the patient a therapeutically effective amount of the agonist of  claim 9 .  
     
     
         14 . A process for diagnosing a disease or a susceptibility to a disease related to expression of the polypeptide of  claim 1  comprising: 
 determining a mutation in the nucleic acid sequence encoding said polypeptide.  
 
     
     
         15 . A diagnostic process comprising: 
 analyzing for the presence of the polypeptide of  claim 1  in a sample derived from a host.    
     
     
         16 . A method for identifying compounds which bind to and activate or inhibit a receptor for the polypeptide of  claim 1  comprising: 
 contacting a cell expressing on the surface thereof a receptor for the polypeptide, said receptor being associated with a second component capable of providing a detectable signal in response to the binding of a compound to said receptor, with a compound to be screened under conditions to permit binding to the receptor; and  
 determining whether the compound binds to and activates or inhibits the receptor by detecting the presence or absence of a signal generated from the interaction of the compound with the receptor.  
 
     
     
         17 . A method for identifying human mesenchymal stem cells comprising: 
 contacting a mixture of mRNA from a cell sample with a polynucleotide unique to human Hox C10 and    identifying any mRNA which has hybridized with the polynucleotide unique to human Hox C10.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the polynucleotide unique to human Hox C10 is bound to a solid support.