Genetic products differentially expressed in tumors and the use thereof

Abstract

According to the invention, gene products expressed in a tumor-associated manner and the nucleic acids coding therefor were identified. The invention relates to the therapy and diagnosis of diseases wherein said gene products expressed in a tumor-associated manner are aberrantly expressed. The invention also relates to proteins, polypeptides and peptides which are expressed in a tumor associated manner and to nucleic acids coding therefor.

1 - 101 . (canceled) 
     
     
         102 . A method for detecting a tumor-associated antigen, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a biological sample from a patient, wherein the biological sample is suspected of containing cancerous cells or cancerous tissue; and   (b) determining a glycosylation pattern of claudin-18A2 protein contained within the biological sample, wherein presence of a non-glycosylated form of claudin-18A2 is indicative of the biological sample containing cancerous cells or cancerous tissue.   
     
     
         103 . The method of  claim 102 , wherein the non-glycosylated form of claudin-18A2 comprises a non-glycosylated residue at position 37, 38, 45, 116, 141, 146, or 205 of SEQ ID NO: 16. 
     
     
         104 . A method for selecting and administering a cancer therapy to a patient in need thereof, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a biological sample from the patient, wherein the biological sample comprises cancerous tissue or tissue suspected of being cancerous;   (b) detecting within the biological sample a non-glycosylated form of claudin-18A2 protein; and   (c) administering to the patient a therapeutic agent that selectively binds to the non-glycosylated form of claudin-18A2 protein.   
     
     
         105 . The method of  claim 104 , wherein the patient has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer or gastric cancer. 
     
     
         106 . The method of  claim 105 , wherein the pancreatic cancer comprises pancreatic adenocarcinoma. 
     
     
         107 . The method of  claim 105 , wherein the gastric cancer comprises gastric adenocarcinoma. 
     
     
         108 . The method of  claim 104 , wherein the non-glycosylated form of claudin-18A2 protein comprises a non-glycosylated residue at position 37, 38, 45, 116, 141, 146, or 205 of SEQ ID NO: 16. 
     
     
         109 . The method of  claim 108 , wherein the patient has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer or gastric cancer. 
     
     
         110 . The method of  claim 109 , wherein the pancreatic cancer comprises pancreatic adenocarcinoma. 
     
     
         111 . The method of  claim 109 , wherein the gastric cancer comprises gastric adenocarcinoma. 
     
     
         112 . The method of  claim 108 , wherein the therapeutic agent is a therapeutic antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof. 
     
     
         113 . The method of  claim 112 , wherein the therapeutic antibody is selected from the group consisting of a chimeric antibody, a humanized antibody, and an immunoreactive fragment of any of the foregoing. 
     
     
         114 . The method of  claim 112 , wherein the therapeutic antibody is coupled to an additional therapeutic agent. 
     
     
         115 . The method of  claim 114 , wherein the additional therapeutic agent is an anticancer agent, a toxin, a radioactive compound or a cytostatic or cytolytic compound. 
     
     
         116 . A method for treating a cancer patient, the method comprising:
 administering an anti-claudin-18A2 antibody to the patient, wherein a biological sample obtained from the patient comprises a non-glycosylated form of claudin-18A2 protein.   
     
     
         117 . The method of  claim 116 , wherein the non-glycosylated form of claudin-18A2 protein comprises a non-glycosylated residue at position 37, 38, 45, 116, 141, 146, or 205 of SEQ ID NO: 16. 
     
     
         118 . The method of  claim 116 , wherein the cancer is pancreatic cancer or gastric cancer. 
     
     
         119 . The method of  claim 118 , wherein the pancreatic cancer comprises pancreatic adenocarcinoma. 
     
     
         120 . The method of  claim 118 , wherein the gastric cancer comprises gastric adenocarcinoma. 
     
     
         121 . The method of  claim 116 , wherein the therapeutic antibody is selected from the group consisting of a chimeric antibody, a humanized antibody, and an immunoreactive fragment of any of the foregoing.