Human C-Maf compositions and methods of use therefor

Abstract

Isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding human c-Maf, and isolated c-Maf proteins, are provided. The invention further provides antisense nucleic acid molecules, recombinant expression vectors containing a nucleic acid molecule of the invention, host cells into which the expression vectors have been introduced and non-human transgenic animals carrying a human c-Maf transgene. The invention further provides human c-Maf fusion proteins and anti-human c-Maf antibodies. Methods of using the human c-maf compositions of the invention are also disclosed, including methods for detecting human c-Maf activity in a biological sample, methods of modulating human c-Maf activity in a cell, and methods for identifying agents that modulate the activity of human c-Maf.

1 . A method for modulating human c-Maf activity in a cell comprising contacting the cell with an agent that modulates human c-Maf activity such that human c-Maf activity in the cell is modulated.  
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said agent stimulates human c-Maf activity.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said agent modulates human c-Maf activity by modulating the activity of the c-Maf polypeptide.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said agent modulates human c-Maf activity by modulating the transcription of the c-Maf gene.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said agent modulates human c-Maf activity by modulating the transcription of the c-Maf mRNA.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said agent that modulates c-Maf activity is a nucleic acid molecule encoding human c-maf.  
     
     
         7 . A method for stimulating human c-Maf activity in a cell comprising introducing into the cell a nucleic acid molecule encoding human c-Maf such that human c-Maf activity in the cell is stimulated.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said nucleic acid molecule comprises a nucleotide sequence that encodes the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said nucleic acid has at least 98% nucleotide identity with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said nucleic acid has at least 99% nucleotide identity with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said nucleic acid has at least 99.5% nucleotide identity with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said nucleic acid comprises the nucleotide sequence of the coding region of the NheI/XbaI insert of plasmid pHu-c-Maf (ATCC Accession No. 98671).  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said nucleic acid molecule is introduced into the cell by contacting the cell with the nucleic acid molecule.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said nucleic acid molecule is introduced into the cell by contacting the cell with a composition comprising the nucleic acid molecule and a lipophillic carrier.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said nucleic acid molecule is introduced into the cell by transfecting or infecting the cell with a vector comprising nucleic acid sequences capable of producing the nucleic acid molecule when transcribed in situ.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said nucleic acid molecule is introduced into the cell by injecting into the cell a vector comprising nucleic acid sequences capable of producing the nucleic acid molecule when transcribed in situ.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said nucleic acid molecule is introduced into the cell by contacting the cell with a recombinant virus having the nucleic acid molecule incorporated into the retroviral genome.