Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and methods of use

Abstract

The present invention provides rat connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), means for producing CTGF and therapeutic methods for using CTGF or derivatives therof.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . Substantially pure CTGF polypeptide having an amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:2, or functional fragments thereof.  
     
     
         2 . An isolated polynucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         3 . An isolated polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of: 
 a) SEQ ID NO:1;    b) SEQ ID NO:1, wherein T can also be U;    c) nucleic acid sequences complementary to a) and b); and    d) fragments of a), b), or c) that are at least 15 bases in length and that will hybridize to DNA which encodes the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 under moderate to highly stringent conditions.    
     
     
         4 . An expression vector including a polynucleotide of  claim 3 .  
     
     
         5 . The vector of  claim 4 , wherein the vector is a plasmid.  
     
     
         6 . The vector of  claim 4 , wherein the vector is a virus-derived.  
     
     
         7 . A host cell stably transformed with the vector of  claim 4 .  
     
     
         8 . The host cell of  claim 7 , wherein the cell is prokaryotic.  
     
     
         9 . The host cell of  claim 7 , wherein the cell is eukaryotic.  
     
     
         10 . An antibody that binds to a polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO:2, or fragments thereof.  
     
     
         11 . The antibody of  claim 10 , wherein the antibody is polyclonal.  
     
     
         12 . The antibody of  claim 10 , wherein the antibody is monoclonal.  
     
     
         13 . The antibody of  claim 10 , wherein the antibody is detectably labeled.  
     
     
         14 . The antibody of  claim 13 , wherein the detectable label is selected from the group consisting of a radioisotope, a fluorescent compound, a bioluminescent compound, a chemiluminescent compound, a metal chelator or an enzyme.  
     
     
         15 . A method for producing a polypeptide comprising: 
 a) culturing a host cell of claim  7 ;    b) expressing from the host cell of  claim 7  a polypeptide encoded by said DNA; and    c) isolating the polypeptide.    
     
     
         16 . A polynucleotide for inhibiting expression of CTGF in a cell, wherein the polynucleotide comprises a contiguous nucleotide sequence complementary to a CTGF target nucleic acid sequence in a cell, and wherein the polynucleotide hybridizes to the CTGF target nucleic acid sequence thereby inhibiting expression of CTGF as compared to an uninhibited level of CTGF expression in the cell.  
     
     
         17 . The polynucleotide of  claim 16 , wherein the CTGF target nucleic acid sequence is the CTGF gene.  
     
     
         18 . The polynucleotide of  claim 16 , wherein the CTGF target nucleic acid sequence is CTGF transcript RNA.  
     
     
         19 . The polynucleotide of  claim 16 , wherein the polynucleotide is DNA.  
     
     
         20 . The polynucleotide of  claim 16 , wherein the polynucleotide is RNA.  
     
     
         21 . The polynucleotide of  claim 16 , wherein the polynucleotide is at least 15 nucleotides in length.  
     
     
         22 . The polynucleotide of  claim 16 , wherein the polynucleotide is from about 15 nucleotides to 100 nucleotides in length.  
     
     
         23 . The polynucleotide of  claim 16 , wherein the polynucleotide is from about 15 nucleotides to 80 nucleotides in length.  
     
     
         24 . The polynucleotide of  claim 16 , wherein the polynucleotide is from about 15 nucleotides to 60 nucleotides in length.  
     
     
         25 . A method for inhibiting the expression of CTGF in a cell comprising contacting the cell with a polynucleotide of  claim 16 , wherein the polynucleotide inhibits the expression of CTGF in the cell.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the cell is a eukaryotic cell.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the eukaryotic cell is a mammalian cell.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the mammalian cell is a hum an cell.  
     
     
         29 . A method for inhibiting the expression of CTGF in a subject comprising administering the polynucleotide of  claim 16  to a subject, wherein the polynucleotide is expressed at a level sufficient to inhibit expression of CTGF in the subject.