Reg-like protein

Abstract

REG-Like proteins and purified and isolated nucleic acids relating to them are used in kits and methods for detecting cancers.

1 . A method of detecting the presence of a tumor comprising detecting the presence or quantity of: 
 a) a nucleic acid molecule encoding a protein having at least a 70% identity to a polypeptide comprising amino acids of SEQ ID NO:2;    b) a nucleic acid molecule which is complementary to the nucleic acid sequence of (a);    c) a nucleic acid molecule comprising at least 15 sequential bases of the nucleic acid    d) a nucleic acid molecule that hybridizes under stringent conditions to the nucleic acid sequence molecule of (a) and correlating such quantity or presence with the presence of a tumor.    
     
     
         2 . A method of detecting the presence of a tumor comprising detecting the concentration of RELP in a biological sample.  
     
     
         3 . The method of claim  11  further comprising the step of correlating the presence or quantity of such molecule with the presence or absence of said tumor.  
     
     
         4 . A kit for determining the presence of RELP comprising: 
 a) antibody immunologically reactive with RELP protein, and    b) reagents for detecting the presence of the antibody.    
     
     
         5 . The kit of  claim 4  further comprising instructions for use in identifying the presence of cancer, characterizing the cancer, or monitoring the course of treatment of cancer.  
     
     
         6 . A kit for the purpose of identifying the presence of cancer, characterizing the cancer, or monitoring the course of treatment of cancer, siad kit comprising: 
 a) a reagent nucleic acid molecule that is complementary a portion of the nucleic acid sequences that encode RELP wherein said reagent nucleic acid molecule comprises at least 15 sequential bases of the nucleic acid sequence that encodes RELP; and    b) a container containing said reagent nucleic acid molecule.    
     
     
         7 . The kit of  claim 6  wherein said said reagent nucleic acid molecule is selected from the group consisting of: Seq. ID No. 12-43.