SIRP proteins and uses thereof

Abstract

The present invention features isolated, purified, or enriched nucleic acid encoding a SIRP polypeptide and isolated, purified, or enriched SIRP polypeptide and uses thereof.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An isolated, purified, or enriched nucleic acid encoding a SIRP polypeptide.  
     
     
         2 . The nucleic acid of  claim 1 , wherein said SIRP polypeptide is a mammalian SIRP polypeptide.  
     
     
         3 . The nucleic acid of  claim 2 , wherein said mammalian SIRP polypeptide is a human SIRP polypeptide.  
     
     
         4 . A nucleic acid probe for the detection of nucleic acid encoding a SIRP polypeptide in a sample.  
     
     
         5 . Recombinant nucleic acid encoding a SIRP polypeptide and a vector or a promoter effective to initiate transcription in a host cell.  
     
     
         6 . An isolated, purified, recombinant, or enriched SIRP polypeptide.  
     
     
         7 . The SIRP polypeptide of  claim 5 , wherein said SIRP polypeptide is a mammalian SIRP polypeptide.  
     
     
         8 . The SIRP polypeptide of  claim 6 , wherein said SIRP polypeptide is a human SIRP polypeptide.  
     
     
         9 . A purified antibody having specific binding affinity to a SIRP polypeptide.  
     
     
         10 . A hybridoma which produces an antibody having specific binding affinity to a SIRP polypeptide.  
     
     
         11 . A method of detecting a compound capable of binding to a SIRP polypeptide comprising the steps of incubating said compound with said SIRP polypeptide and detecting the presence of said compound bound to said SIRP polypeptide.  
     
     
         12 . A method of screening potential agents useful for treatment of a disease or condition characterized by an abnormality in a signal transduction pathway, wherein said signal transduction pathway includes an interaction between a SIRP polypeptide and a natural binding partner, comprising the step of assaying said potential agents for those able to promote or disrupt said interaction as an indication of a useful said agent.  
     
     
         13 . A method for diagnosis of a disease or condition characterized by an abnormality in a signal transduction pathway, wherein said signal transduction pathway includes an interaction between a SIRP polypeptide and a natural binding partner, comprising the step of detecting the level of said interaction as an indication of said disease or condition.  
     
     
         14 . A method for treatment of an organism having a disease or condition characterized by an abnormality in a signal transduction pathway, wherein said signal transduction pathway includes an interaction between a SIRP polypeptide and a natural binding partner comprising the step of promoting or disrupting said interaction.  
     
     
         15 . An isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence that; 
 (a) encodes a polypeptide having the full length amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO.: 5, SEQ ID NO: 6, SEQ ID NO: 7, or SEQ ID NO: 8;    (b) the complement of the nucleotide sequence of (a) or;    (c) hybridizes under highly stringent conditions to the nucleotide sequence of (a) and encodes a naturally occurring SIRP protein.    
     
     
         16 . A nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence that encodes 
 (a) a SIRP protein having the full length amino acid sequence of sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO.: 5, SEQ ID NO: 6, SEQ ID NO: 7, or SEQ ID NO: 8 except that it lacks one of the following segments of amino acid residues: extracellular domain, transmembrane domain, cytoplasmic domain, tyrosine bearing SH2 binding region in the cytoplasmic domain; or    (b) the complement of the nucleotide sequence of (a).    
     
     
         17 . An isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence that encodes a polypeptide having the full length amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 5; SEQ ID NO: 6, SEQ ID NO: 7, or SEQ ID NO: 8 except that it lacks at least one, but not more than two, of the domains selected from the group consisting of the extracellular domain, the transmembrane domain, and the SHP-2 binding domain.  
     
     
         18 . A recombinant vector containing the nucleotide sequence of any one of claims  14 - 17 .  
     
     
         19 . A genetically engineered host cell containing the nucleotide sequence of any one of claims  14 - 18 .