Human preproneurotensin/neuromedin N

Abstract

The invention provides a human preproneurotensin/neuromedin N (HPPN) and polynucleotides which identify and encode HPPN. The invention also provides expression vectors, host cells, antibodies, agonists, and antagonists. The invention also provides methods for treating or preventing disorders associated with expression of HPPN.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An isolated polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from: 
 a) a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1,    b) a naturally occurring polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 90% identical to an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1,    c) a biologically active fragment of a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, and    d) an immunogenic fragment of a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1.    
     
     
         2 . An isolated polypeptide of  claim 1  having an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1.  
     
     
         3 . A composition comprising the polypeptide of  claim 1  and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.  
     
     
         4 . A composition comprising the polypeptide of  claim 2  and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.  
     
     
         5 . A method for using a polypeptide to screen a plurality of molecules in a sample to identify and purify an agonist, the method comprising: 
 a) combining the polypeptide of  claim 1  with a plurality of molecules under conditions which allow specific binding,    b) detecting agonist activity in the sample; and    c) dissociating the polypeptide from the molecule.    
     
     
         6 . An agonist produced by the method of  claim 5 .  
     
     
         7 . A composition comprising the agonist of  claim 6  and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.  
     
     
         8 . A method for using a polypeptide to screen a plurality of molecules in a sample to identify and purify an antagonist, the method comprising: 
 a) combining the polypeptide of  claim 1  with the molecules under conditions which allow specific binding,    b) detecting antagonist activity in the sample; and.    c) dissociating the polypeptide from the molecule.    
     
     
         9 . An antagonist produced by the method of  claim 8 .  
     
     
         10 . A composition comprising the antagonist of  claim 9  and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.  
     
     
         11 . A method of using a polypeptide to screen a plurality of compounds to identify a compound which specifically binds polypeptide, the method comprising: 
 a) combining the polypeptide of  claim 1  with the compounds under conditions which allow specific binding, and    b) detecting binding between the polypeptide and a compound, thereby identifying a compound that specifically binds the polypeptide.    
     
     
         12 . A method of using a polypeptide to screen a plurality of compounds to identify a compound which modulates the activity of the polypeptide, the method comprising: 
 a) combining the polypeptide of  claim 1  with the compounds under conditions permissive for the activity of the polypeptide,    b) assessing the activity of the polypeptide in the presence of the compound, and    c) comparing the activity of the polypeptide in the presence of the compound with the activity of the polypeptide in the absence of the compound, wherein a change in the activity of the polypeptide in the presence of the compound is indicative of modulation of activity.    
     
     
         13 . A compound which modulates the activity of the polypeptide produced by the method of  claim 12 .  
     
     
         14 . A composition comprising the compound of  claim 13  and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.  
     
     
         15 . A method of using a polypeptide to prepare a polyclonal antibody comprising: 
 a) immunizing an animal with a polypeptide of  claim 1  under conditions to elicit an antibody response;    b) isolating antibodies from the animal; and    c) screening the isolated antibodies with the polypeptide, thereby identifying a polyclonal antibody which specifically binds the polypeptide.    
     
     
         16 . A polyclonal antibody produced by the method of  claim 15 .  
     
     
         17 . A composition comprising an antibody of  claim 16  and an acceptable excipient.  
     
     
         18 . A method of using a polypeptide to make a monoclonal antibody, the method comprising: 
 a) immunizing an animal with a polypeptide of  claim 1  under conditions to elicit an antibody response;    b) isolating antibody producing cells from the animal;    c) fusing the antibody producing cells with immortalized cells to form monoclonal antibody-producing hybridoma cells;    d) culturing the hybridoma cells; and    e) isolating from culture the monoclonal antibody which binds specifically to a polypeptide.    
     
     
         19 . A monoclonal antibody produced by the method of  claim 18 .  
     
     
         20 . A composition comprising an antibody of  claim 19  and an acceptable excipient.  
     
     
         21 . A method for producing a polypeptide, the method comprising: 
 a) culturing a cell under conditions for expression of the polypeptide, wherein the cell is transformed with a recombinant polynucleotide, and the recombinant polynucleotide comprises a promoter sequence operably linked to a polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide of  claim 1 , and    b) recovering the polypeptide so produced from culture.