Polynucleotides differentially expressed in adenocarcinomas, polypeptides encoded thereby, and methods of use thereof

Abstract

The present invention features human HX2004-6 polypeptide and nucleotide sequences encoding HX2004-6 polypeptides. In a particular aspect, the polynucleotide is the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1. In related aspects the invention features expression vectors and host cells comprising polynucleotides that encode a human HX2004-6 polypeptide. The present invention also relates to antibodies that bind specifically to a human HX2004-6 polypeptide. Further provided are diagnostic and screening methods using HX2004-6 polynucleotides and antibodies specific for HX2004-6 polypeptides.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An isolated human HX2004-6 polypeptide.  
     
     
         2 . The human HX2004-6 polypeptide of  claim 1 , comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2.  
     
     
         3 . The human HX2004-6 polypeptide of  claim 1 , which has an amino acid sequence of amino acids 1-342 of SEQ ID NO:2.  
     
     
         4 . An isolated polynucleotide, or complement thereof, comprising a polynucleotide sequence encoding a human HX2004-6 polypeptide of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         5 . The isolated polynucleotide sequence of  claim 4  comprising a polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1.  
     
     
         6 . The isolated polynucleotide sequence of  claim 4  having a polynucleotide sequence of nucleotides 1-1724of SEQ ID NO:1.  
     
     
         7 . An isolated polynucleotide sequence which hybridizes under stringent conditions to a polynucleotide having the sequence depicted in SEQ ID NO:1.  
     
     
         8 . An isolated polynucleotide sequence which hybridizes under stringent conditions to a polynucleotide having the sequence of nucleotides 1-1724 of SEQ ID NO: 1.  
     
     
         9 . An isolated polynucleotide of  claim 4 , wherein said polynucleotide is overexpressed in an adenocarcinoma of a tissue selected from the group consisting of exocrine pancreas, breast, and colon.  
     
     
         10 . A recombinant expression vector comprising the polynucleotide sequence of  claim 4 .  
     
     
         11 . An isolated host cell comprising the polynucleotide sequence of  claim 4 .  
     
     
         12 . A method for producing the human HX2004-6 polypeptide of  claim 1 , the method comprising the steps of: 
 a) culturing a recombinant host cell containing a human HX2004-6 polypeptide-encoding polynucleotide sequence under conditions suitable for the expression of the polypeptide; and    b) recovering the polypeptide from the host cell culture.    
     
     
         13 . An isolated antibody that specifically binds a human HX2004-6 polypeptide of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         14 . A method for identifying a polynucleotide homologous to the polynucleotide of  claim 4 , the method comprising the steps of: 
 contacting a polynucleotide probe with a test polynucleotide, the probe comprising at least 15 contiguous nucleotides of a polynucleotide sequence encoding a human HX2004-6 polypeptide; and    detecting hybridization of the probe with the test polynucleotide;    wherein detection of hybridization of the probe to the test polynucleotide indicates that the polynucleotide shares sequence homology with the human HX2004-6 polypeptide-encoding polynucleotide.    
     
     
         15 . A method of detecting the presence of an HX2004-6 mRNA in a biological sample, comprising: 
 a) contacting the sample with an HX2004-6 polynucleotide; and    b) detecting hybridization.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the sample is ductal epithelial cells from a tissue selected from the group consisting of pancreas, colon, and breast.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising, before step (a) the step of making a cDNA copy of the HX2004-6 mRNA.  
     
     
         18 . A method for detecting the presence of an HX2004-6 polypeptide in a biological sample, comprising: 
 a) contacting the sample with an antibody specific for an HX2004-6 polypeptide; and    b) detecting specific binding of the antibody.    
     
     
         19 . A method for identifying an agent that modulates HX2004-6 expression in a cell, the method comprising: 
 combining a candidate agent with a cell comprising a nucleic acid encoding a human HX2004-6 polypeptide; and    determining the effect of said agent on HX2004-6 expression.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said determining is carried out by measuring an amount of an HX2004-6 mRNA in the cell.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said determining is carried out by measuring an amount of an HX2004-6 polypeptide in the cell.