Gene and methods for diagnosing neuropsychiatric disorders and treating such disorders

Abstract

A mammalian 22444 gene and gene products which are predictive of a susceptibility or predisposition to various neuropsychiatric disorders are provided. Methods of predicting an individual's susceptibility to developing or having a neuropsychiatric disorder via detection of these diagnostic markers are also provided. In addition, compositions and methods for identifying compositions for use in the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders via these genes and gene products are described.

1 . An isolated mammalian 22444 gene.  
     
     
         2 . The isolated mammalian 22444 gene of  claim 1  comprising a nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1.  
     
     
         3 . A vector comprising the isolated mammalian 22444 gene of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         4 . A host cell expressing the vector of  claim 3 .  
     
     
         5 . An isolated mammalian 22444 gene product.  
     
     
         6 . The isolated mammalian 22444 gene product of  claim 5  comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2.  
     
     
         7 . An antibody raised against the mammalian 22444 gene product of  claim 5 .  
     
     
         8 . A diagnostic marker for predicting susceptibility of an individual to having or developing a neuropsychiatric disorder comprising the isolated mammalian 22444 gene of  claim 1  or a mammalian 22444 gene product.  
     
     
         9 . A method for predicting the susceptibility of an individual for having or developing a neuropsychiatric disorder comprising obtaining a biological sample from the individual and screening the biological sample for the presence or absence of the mammalian 22444 gene of  claim 1  or a variant thereof wherein the absence of the nucleotide sequence or the presence of the variant is indicative of a susceptibility of the individual to have or develop a neuropsychiatric disorder.  
     
     
         10 . A method for predicting the susceptibility of an individual for having or developing a neuropsychiatric disorder comprising obtaining a biological sample from the individual and screening the biological sample for the presence or absence of the mammalian 22444 gene product of  claim 5  or a variant thereof wherein the absence of the mammalian 22444 gene product or the presence of the variant is indicative of a susceptibility of the individual to have or develop a neuropsychiatric disorder.  
     
     
         11 . A method of diagnosing a neuropsychiatric disorder in an individual comprising obtaining a biological sample from the individual and analyzing the biological sample for the presence or absence of the mammalian 22444 gene of  claim 1  or a variant thereof wherein the absence of the mammalian 22444 gene or the presence of the variant is indicative of a neuropsychiatric disorder.  
     
     
         12 . A method of diagnosing a neuropsychiatric disorder in an individual comprising obtaining a biological sample from the individual and analyzing the biological sample for the presence or absence of the mammalian 22444 gene product of  claim 5  or a variant thereof wherein the absence of the 22444 gene product or the presence of the variant is indicative of a neuropsychiatric disorder.  
     
     
         13 . A method of identifying potential agents for use in the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders comprising screening agents for an ability to alter expression or levels of the mammalian 22444 gene of  claim 1  or a 22444 gene product encoded thereby or to mimic the 22444 gene product encoded thereby.  
     
     
         14 . A composition for the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders comprising an agent which alters expression or levels of the mammalian 22444 gene of  claim 1  or a 22444 gene product encoded thereby or mimics the 22444 gene product encoded thereby.  
     
     
         15 . A composition for the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders comprising a 22444 gene product of  claim 5 .  
     
     
         16 . A method for identifying proteins which interact with 22444 gene products comprising contacting the 22444 gene product of  claim 5  with a protein suspected of interacting with the 22444 gene product and determining whether the protein interacts with the 22444 gene product.