Compositions, kits, and methods for identification, assessment, prevention and therapy of breast and ovarian cancer

Abstract

The invention relates to newly discovered nucleic acid molecules and proteins associated with breast or ovarian cancer. Compositions, kits, and methods for detecting, characterizing, preventing, and treating human breast or ovarian cancers are provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of assessing whether a patient is afflicted with breast cancer, the method comprising:
 a) determining the level of expression of a marker in a patient sample, wherein the marker is selected from the group consisting of the markers listed in Table 2, and   b) determining the level of expression of the marker in a control sample,   c) comparing the level of expression of the marker in the patient sample and the level of expression of the marker in the control sample,   wherein an increase in the level of expression of the marker in the patient sample as compared to the level of expression of the marker in the control sample-is an indication that the patient is afflicted with breast cancer.   
     
     
         2 . A method of assessing whether a patient is afflicted with ovarian cancer, the method comprising:
 a) determining the level of expression of a marker in a patient sample, wherein the marker is selected from the group consisting of the markers listed in Table 3, and   b) determining the level of expression of the marker in a control sample,   c) comparing the level of expression of the marker in the patient sample and the level of expression of the marker in the control sample,   wherein an increase in the level of expression of the marker in the patient sample as compared to the level of expression of the marker in the control sample is an indication that the patient is afflicted with ovarian cancer.   
     
     
         3 . An isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 9, 13, 19, 29, 35, 37, 55 and 89. 
     
     
         4 . A vector which contains the nucleic acid molecule of  claim 3 . 
     
     
         5 . A host cell which contains the nucleic acid molecule of  claim 3 . 
     
     
         6 . An isolated polypeptide which is encoded by a nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 9, 13, 19, 29, 35, 37, 55 and 89. 
     
     
         7 . An antibody which selectively hinds to the polypeptide of  claim 6 . 
     
     
         8 . An isolated polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 10, 14, 20, 30, 36, 38, 56 and 90. 
     
     
         9 . An antibody which selectively binds to the polypeptide of  claim 8 . 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the level of expression of the marker in the patient sample is assessed by detecting the presence of a marker protein in the sample. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the presence of the marker protein is detected using a reagent which specifically binds with the protein, wherein the reagent is selected from the group consisting of an antibody, an antibody derivative, an antigen-binding antibody fragment, and a non-antibody peptide which specifically binds the protein. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the reagent is labelled. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the marker comprises a transcribed polynucleotide or portion thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the transcribed polynucleotide or portion thereof is a mRNA or a cDNA. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of detecting a transcribed polynucleotide further comprises amplifying the transcribed polynucleotide. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the level of expression of the marker in the patient sample differs from the level of expression of the marker in the control sample by a factor selected from the group consisting of a factor of at least about 2, a factor of at least about 3, a factor of at least about 4, and a factor of at least about 5. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the level of expression of the marker in the patient sample is assessed using a technique selected from the group consisting of: Northern hybridization, polymerase chain reaction analysis, RT-PCR, probe array and in situ hybridization. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the level of expression of the marker in the patient sample is assessed by detecting the presence of a marker protein in the sample. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the presence of the marker protein is detected using a reagent which specifically binds with the protein, wherein the reagent is selected from the group consisting of an antibody, an antibody derivative, an antigen-binding antibody fragment, and a non-antibody peptide which specifically binds the protein. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the reagent is labelled. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the marker comprises a transcribed polynucleotide or portion thereof. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the transcribed polynucleotide or portion thereof is a mRNA or a cDNA. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the step of detecting a transcribed polynucleotide further comprises amplifying the transcribed polynucleotide.