Human regulatory molecules

Abstract

The invention provides human regulatory molecules and the polynucleotides which identify and encode them. The invention also provides expression vectors, host cells, agonists, antibodies and antagonists. The invention further provides methods for diagnosing and treating disorders associated with expression of human regulatory molecules.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional of U.S. Pat. No. 09 / 518,865 filed 3 Mar. 2000, which was a divisional of U.S. Pat. No 6,132,973, issued 17 Oct. 2000, which was a divisional of U.S. Pat. No. 5,932,442, issued 3 Aug. 1999.[0002] This invention relates to nucleic acid and amino acid sequences of human regulatory molecules which are implicated in disease and to the use of these sequences in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases associated with cell proliferation.[0003] Cells grow and differentiate, carry out their structural or metabolic roles, participate in organismal development, and respond to their environment by altering their gene expression. Cellular functions are controlled by the timing and amount of expression attributable to thousands of individual genes. The regulation of expression is metabolically vital in that it conserves energy and prevents the synthesis and accumulation of intermediates such as RNA and incomplete or inactive proteins when the gene product is...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

Enables specific detection and modulation of gene expression associated with cell proliferation disorders, providing tools for diagnosis and treatment of cancers and immune responses by targeting HRM proteins and their nucleic acids.

Problems solved by technology

Although binding of DNA to a regulatory protein is very specific, there is no way to predict the exact DNA sequence to which a particular regulatory protein will bind or the primary structure of a regulatory protein for a specific DNA sequence.

Alternatively, gene fusion may produce chimeric loci with switched domains, such that the level of activation is no longer correct for the gene specificity of that factor.

However, when hyper-responsivity or another imbalance occurs for any reason, disregulation of gene expression may cause considerable tissue or organ damage.

In addition, the accumulation of somatic mutations and the increasing inability to regulate cellular responses is seen in the prevalence of osteoarthritis and onset of other aging disorders.