Acid phosphatase (acp1)gene as a susceptibility locus for hyperlipidemia

Abstract

The ACP1 *A allele provides a means for diagnosing susceptability of a human subject to hyperlipidemia, especially hyperlipidemia associated with metabolic syndrome, a means for treating, or preventing the onset of, hyperlipidemia and metabolic syndrome, and a means for screening and identifying drugs suitable for use in treating or preventing hyperlipidemia, especially hyperlipidemia associated with metabolic syndrome. Diagnostic kits are also provided.

1 . A method for identifying a human subject that is at risk of developing hyperlipidemia, comprising screening for the presence or absence of a non-*A allele of the ACP1 gene, and identifying the presence of said non-*A allele, such presence being an indication that said human subject is at risk of developing hyperlipidemia.  
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the presence of said non-*A allele is determined by identifying the presence in the genome of said human subject, a DNA sequence encoding a non-*A ACP1 polypeptide.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the presence of said non-*A allele is determined by measuring the activity of an ACP1enzyme obtained from said human subject relative to a known ACP1 *A enzyme standard.  
     
     
         4 . The method of any of claims  1 - 3 , wherein the hyperlipidemia is associated with metabolic disorder.  
     
     
         5 . A method for identifying a drug product having preventative or curative activity against hyperlipidemia, comprising measuring the activity of an ACP1 enzyme in cells expressing a non-*A allele of the ACP1 gene, to obtain a first enzyme activity value, exposing cells expressing said non-*A allele of the ACP1 enzyme to a drug candidate, measuring ACP1 enzyme activity to obtain a second enzyme activity value, comparing the first enzyme activity value to the second enzyme activity value to obtain an enzyme activity ratio, a ratio of greater than 1 being an indicator of preventative or curative activity against hyperlipidemia.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said cells are in an animal.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said cells comprise a cell culture.  
     
     
         8 . The method of any of claims  5 - 7 , wherein the hyperlipidemia is associated with metabolic disorder.  
     
     
         9 . A method for preventing or treating hyperlipidemia comprising administering to a person at risk of developing hyperlipidemia or suffering from hyperlipidemia, a PTP inhibitor in an amount sufficient to reduce ACP1 enzyme activity relative to the activity of that enzyme in the absence of said inhibitor.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the hyperlipidemia is associated with metabolic disorder.  
     
     
         11 . A diagnostic kit for use in identifying persons who are at risk of developing hyperlipidemia, comprising a means for screening for the presence or absence of a non-*A allele of the ACP1 gene, and a means for identifying the presence of said non-*A allele, such presence indicating that the person is at risk of developing hyperlipidemia.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the hyperlipidemia is associated with metabolic disorder.