Human cathepsin

Abstract

The invention provides a new human cathepsin (LCAP) and polynucleotides which identify and encode LCAP. The invention also provides expression vectors, host cells, agonists, antibodies and antagonists. The invention also provides methods for treating disorders associated with expression of LCAP.

1 . An isolated polypeptide selected from the group consisting of: 
 a) a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1,    b) a polypeptide comprising a naturally occurring an amino acid sequence at least 90% identical to an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1,    c) a biologically active fragment of a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, and    d) an immunogenic fragment of a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1.    
     
     
         2 . An isolated polypeptide of  claim 1 , comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1.  
     
     
         3 - 8 . (canceled)  
     
     
         9 . A method of producing a polypeptide of  claim 1 , the method comprising: 
 a) culturing a cell under conditions suitable for expression of the polypeptide, wherein said cell is transformed with a recombinant polynucleotide, and said recombinant polynucleotide comprises a promoter sequence operably linked to a polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide of  claim 1 , and    b) recovering the polypeptide so expressed.    
     
     
         10 . A method of  claim 9 , wherein the polypeptide comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1.  
     
     
         11 . An isolated antibody which specifically binds to a polypeptide of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         12 . An isolated polynucleotide selected from the group consisting of: 
 a) a polynucleotide comprising a polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2,    b) a polynucleotide comprising a naturally occurring polynucleotide sequence at least 90% identical to a polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2,    c) a polynucleotide complementary to a polynucleotide of a),    d) a polynucleotide complementary to a polynucleotide of b) and    e) an RNA equivalent of a)-d).    
     
     
         13 - 16 . (canceled)  
     
     
         17 . A composition comprising a polypeptide of  claim 1  and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.  
     
     
         18 . A composition of  claim 17 , wherein the polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1.  
     
     
         19 . A method for treating a disease or condition associated with decreased expression of functional LCAP, comprising administering to a patient in need of such treatment the composition of  claim 17 .  
     
     
         20 . A method of screening a compound for effectiveness as an agonist of a polypeptide of  claim 1 , the method comprising: 
 a) contacting a sample comprising a polypeptide of  claim 1  with a compound, and    b) detecting agonist activity in the sample.    
     
     
         21 - 22 . (canceled)  
     
     
         23 . A method of screening a compound for effectiveness as an antagonist of a polypeptide of  claim 1 , the method comprising: 
 a) contacting a sample comprising a polypeptide of  claim 1  with a compound, and    b) detecting antagonist activity in the sample.    
     
     
         24 - 25 . (canceled)  
     
     
         26 . A method of screening for a compound that specifically binds to the polypeptide of  claim 1 , the method comprising: 
 a) combining the polypeptide of  claim 1  with at least one test compound under suitable conditions, and    b) detecting binding of the polypeptide of  claim 1  to the test compound, thereby identifying a compound that specifically binds to the polypeptide of  claim 1 .    
     
     
         27 . A method of screening for a compound that modulates the activity of the polypeptide of  claim 1 , said method comprising: 
 a) combining the polypeptide of  claim 1  with at least one test compound under conditions permissive for the activity of the polypeptide of  claim 1 ,    b) assessing the activity of the polypeptide of  claim 1  in the presence of the test compound, and    c) comparing the activity of the polypeptide of  claim 1  in the presence of the test compound with the activity of the polypeptide of  claim 1  in the absence of the test compound, wherein a change in the activity of the polypeptide of  claim 1  in the presence of the test compound is indicative of a compound that modulates the activity of the polypeptide of  claim 1 .    
     
     
         28 - 30 . (canceled)  
     
     
         31 . The antibody of  claim 11 , wherein the antibody is: 
 a) a chimeric antibody,    b) a single chain antibody,    c) a Fab fragment,    d) a F(ab′) 2  fragment, or    e) a humanized antibody.    
     
     
         32 . A composition comprising an antibody of  claim 11  and an acceptable excipient.  
     
     
         33 . A method of diagnosing a condition or disease associated with the expression of LCAP in a subject, comprising administering to said subject an effective amount of the composition of  claim 32 .  
     
     
         34 . A composition of  claim 32 , further comprising a label.  
     
     
         35 - 55 . (canceled)  
     
     
         56 . A polypeptide of  claim 1 , comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1.  
     
     
         57 . (canceled)