Reagents and methods useful for detecting diseases of the breast

Abstract

A set of contiguous and partially overlapping cDNA sequences and polypeptides encoded thereby, designated as BS249 and transcribed from breast tissue, is described. These sequences are useful for the detecting, diagnosing, staging, monitoring, prognosticating, in vivo imaging, preventing or treating, or determining the predisposition of an individual to diseases and conditions of the breast, such as breast cancer. Also provided are antibodies which specifically bind to BS249-encoded polypeptide or protein, and agonists or inhibitors which prevent action of the tissue-specific BS249 polypeptide, which molecules are useful for the therapeutic treatment of breast diseases, tumors or metastases

We claim:  
     
         1 . A purified polynucleotide or fragment thereof derived from a BS249 gene, wherein said polynucleotide is capable of selectively hybridizing to the nucleic acid of said BS249 gene and has at least 50% identity to a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQUENCE ID NOS 1-11, and fragments or complements thereof.  
     
     
         2 . The purified polynucleotide of  claim 1 , wherein said polynucleotide is produced by recombinant techniques.  
     
     
         3 . The purified polynucleotide of  claim 1 , wherein said polynucleotide is produced by synthetic techniques.  
     
     
         4 . The purified polynucleotide of  claim 1 , wherein said polynucleotide comprises a sequence encoding at least one BS249 epitope.  
     
     
         5 . A recombinant expression system comprising a nucleic acid sequence that includes an open reading frame derived from BS249 operably linked to a control sequence compatible with a desired host, wherein said nucleic acid sequence has at least 50% identity to a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQUENCE ID NOS 1-11 and fragments or complements thereof.  
     
     
         6 . A cell transfected with the recombinant expression system of  claim 5 .  
     
     
         7 . A BS249 polypeptide having at least 50% identity with an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQUENCE ID NO 23, SEQUENCE ID NO 24, SEQUENCE ID NO 25, SEQUENCE ID NO 26, SEQUENCE ID NO 27, and fragments thereof.  
     
     
         8 . The polypeptide of  claim 7 , wherein said polypeptide is produced by recombinant techniques.  
     
     
         9 . The polypeptide of  claim 7 , wherein said polypeptide is produced by synthetic techniques.  
     
     
         10 . An antibody which specifically binds to at least one BS249 epitope, wherein the BS249 epitope is derived from an amino acid sequence having at least 50% identity to an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQUENCE ID NO 23, SEQUENCE ID NO 24, SEQUENCE ID NO 25, SEQUENCE ID NO 26, SEQUENCE ID NO 27, and fragments thereof.  
     
     
         11 . A cell transfected with a nucleic acid sequence encoding at least one BS249 epitope, wherein said nucleic acid sequence is selected from the group consisting of SEQUENCE ID NOS 1-11, and fragments or complements thereof.  
     
     
         12 . A composition of matter comprising a polypeptide containing at least one BS249 epitope, wherein said polypeptide has at least 50% identity to a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQUENCE ID NO 23, SEQUENCE ID NO 24, SEQUENCE ID NO 25, SEQUENCE ID NO 26, SEQUENCE ID NO 27, and fragments thereof.  
     
     
         13 . A gene or fragment thereof which codes for a BS249 protein which comprises an amino acid sequence with at least 50% identity with SEQUENCE ID NO 23.  
     
     
         14 . A gene or fragment thereof comprising DNA having at least 50% identity with SEQUENCE ID NO 10 or SEQUENCE ID NO 11.