Human slit polypeptide and polynucleotides encoding same

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 slit 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 polynucleotide comprising a polynucleotide sequence which is a member selected from the group consisting of: 
 (a) a polynucleotide encoding amino acid 2 to 1523 of SEQ ID NO:2;    (b) a variant polynucleotide sequence of (a), wherein said variant polynucleotide sequence varies from the polynucleotide sequence of (a) by a member selected from (i) nucleotide substitution, (ii) nucleotide deletion, (iii) nucleotide insertion, and (iv) a combination of (i), (ii) or (iii), and said variant polynucleotide will hybridize to the complement of a polynucleotide of (a),    (c) the full complement of (a); and    (d) the full complement of (b).    
     
     
         2 . An isolated polynucleotide comprising a polynucleotide having at least 95% identity to a member selected from the group consisting of: 
 (a) a polynucleotide encoding amino acid 2 to 1523 of SEQ ID NO:2; and    (b) the full complement of (a).    
     
     
         3 . The isolated polynucleotide of  claim 1  wherein said member is (a) or (b).  
     
     
         4 . The isolated polynucleotide of  claim 1  comprising a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide comprising amino acids 2 to 1523 of SEQ ID NO:2.  
     
     
         5 . The isolated polynucleotide of  claim 1 , wherein said member is (a) or (b) and the polynucleotide is DNA.  
     
     
         6 . A recombinant vector comprising the polynucleotide of  claim 3 , wherein said polynucleotide is DNA.  
     
     
         7 . A recombinant host cell comprising the polynucleotide of  claim 3 , wherein said polynucleotide is DNA.  
     
     
         8 . A method for producing a polypeptide comprising expressing from the recombinant cell of  claim 7  the polypeptide encoded by said polynucleotide.  
     
     
         9 . A process for producing a mature slit polypeptide comprising: 
 expressing from a recombinant cell containing the polynucleotide of  claim 4  the polypeptide encoded by said polynucleotide.    
     
     
         10 . The isolated polynucleotide of  claim 1  comprising the nucleotides of the sequence of SEQ ID NO:1.  
     
     
         11 . 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  claim 4 .    
     
     
         12 . The isolated polypeptide of  claim 11 , comprising amino acids 1 to 1523 of sequence of SEQ ID NO:2.  
     
     
         13 . An antibody against the polypeptide of  claim 11 .  
     
     
         14 . An antagonist against the polypeptide of  claim 11 .  
     
     
         15 . A method for the treatment of a patient having need of a human slit polypeptide comprising: administering to the patient a therapeutically effective amount of the polypeptide of  claim 11 .  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  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.  
     
     
         17 . A method for the treatment of a patient having need to inhibit the activity of a human slit polypeptide comprising: administering to the patient a therapeutically effective amount of the antagonist of  claim 14 .  
     
     
         18 . A method for the treatment of a patient having need of a human slit polypeptide comprising: administering to the patient a therapeutically effective amount of the agonist of  claim 15 .  
     
     
         19 . A process for diagnosing a disease or a susceptibility to a disease related to expression of the polypeptide of  claim 11  comprising: 
 determining a mutation in the nucleic acid sequence encoding said polypeptide.  
 
     
     
         20 . A diagnostic process comprising: 
 analyzing for the presence of the polypeptide of  claim 11  in a sample derived from a host.