Use of cathepsin S in the diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis

Abstract

Cathepsin S expression is up-regulated in embodmetriotic tissue. This invention provides methods of diagnosing endometriosis by detecting up-regulation of a cathepsin S gene product, and methods of treating endometriosis by down-regulating expression of cathepsin S in ectopic or ectopic endometriotic tissue.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A kit comprising a compound that binds a cathepsin S gene product and instructions to (1) use the compound for detecting cathepsin S in a patient sample, and (2) to diagnose endometriosis based on an elevated amount of the cathepsin S gene produce in the sample compared with a normal amount of cathepsin S.  
     
     
         2 . The kit of  claim 1  wherein the cathepsin S gene product is cathepsin S mRNA or cDNA and the compound is a polynucleotide that hybridizes with cathepsin S mRNA or cDNA under stringent conditions.  
     
     
         3 . The kit of  claim 1  wherein the cathepsin S gene product is cathepsin S polypeptide and the compound is an antibody that specifically binds to cathepsin S polypeptide.