Growth differentiation factor-7

Abstract

The present invention provides antibodies that bind to the growth differentiation factor-7.

1 . A method of treating a cell proliferative disorder associated with expression of GDF-7, comprising contacting the cells with a reagent which suppresses the GDF-7 activity.  
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the reagent is an anti-GDF-7 antibody.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the reagent is a GDF-7 antisense sequence.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the cell is a neural cell.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the reagent which suppresses GDF-7 activity is introduced to a ceil using a vector.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the vector is a collcjidal dispersion system.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the colloidal dispersion system is a liposome.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the liposome is essentially target specific.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the liposome is anatomically targeted.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the liposome is mechanistically targeted.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the mechanistic targeting is passive.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the mechanistic targeting is active.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the liposome is actively targeted by coupling with a moiety selected from the group consisting of a sugar, a glycolipid, and a protein.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the protein moiety is an antibody.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the vector is a virus.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the virus is an RNA virus.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the RNA virus is a retrovirus.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the retrovirus is essentially target specific.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the moiety for target specificity is encoded by a polynucleotide inserted into the retroviral genome.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the moiety for target specificity is selected from the group consisting of a sugar, a glycolipid, and a protein.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the protein is an antibody.