Methods for diagnosing cancer and decreasing metastasis by cancer cells

Abstract

The invention provides a protein that is a tumor marker protein. This protein can be used to prepare antibodies that bind to the tumor marker protein. These antibodies can be used to reduce, or eliminate metastasis by cancer cells that produce the tumor marker protein. In addition, the invention provides methods that can be used to diagnose cancer, and metastasis by cancer cells.

1 . A monoclonal antibody that selectively binds to a fragment of a protein having the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, or a variant thereof, wherein the antibody does not bind to the full length protein having the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1. 
     
     
         2 . The antibody of  claim 1 , wherein the variant results from substitution of the glutamine with an arginine at amino acid residue 525. 
     
     
         3 . The antibody of  claim 1 , wherein the variant results from substitution of the asparagine with a serine at amino acid residue 827. 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The antibody of  claim 1 , wherein the antibody is an Fab′ fragment, an F(ab′) 2  fragment, an Fv fragment or a sFv fragment. 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The antibody of  claim 1 , wherein the antibody is a humanized or human monoclonal antibody. 
     
     
         8 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising the antibody of  claim 1  and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. 
     
     
         9 . A method to diagnose cancer in a mammal comprising, (a) contacting an antibody that selectively binds to SEQ ID NO: 1, or a fragment of SEQ ID NO: 1, with a test sample obtained from the mammal, and; (b) determining if the antibody binds to the test sample to a greater extent than the antibody binds to a control sample of non-cancerous tissue. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the cancer is selected from the group consisting of epidermoid carcinoma, prostate cancer, colon cancer, fibrosarcoma, gastric cancer, liver cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, and kidney rhabdoid cancer. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the mammal is a human. 
     
     
         12 . A method to determine if a test sample contains metastatic HEp3 cells comprising, (a) contacting the test sample with an antibody that selectively binds to SEQ ID NO:1, or a fragment of SEQ ID NO:1, and; (b) comparing binding of the antibody to the test sample to binding of the antibody to a control sample containing non-metastatic Hep3 cells; wherein increased binding of the antibody to the test sample as compared to binding of the antibody to the control sample indicates that the test sample contains metastatic HEp3 cells. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the test sample is obtained from a mammal. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the mammal is a human. 
     
     
         15 . The antibody of  claim 1 , wherein the antibody is a recombinant antibody.