WISP polypeptides and nucleic acids encoding same

Abstract

Wnt-1-Induced Secreted Proteins (WISPs) are provided, whose genes are induced at least by Wnt-1. Also provided are nucleic acid molecules encoding those polypeptides, as well as vectors and host cells comprising those nucleic acid sequences, chimeric polypeptide molecules comprising the polypeptides fused to heterologous polypeptide sequences, antibodies which bind to the polypeptides, and methods for producing the polypeptides.

1 .- 11 . (canceled)  
     
     
         12 . A method for inhibiting the growth of tumor cells comprising exposing a cell that overexpresses a Wnt-1-induced gene to an effective amount of an antagonist that inhibits the expression or activity of a WISP-1 polypeptide.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein said antagonist is an antibody specifically binding a WISP-1 polypeptide.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  or  claim 13  wherein the tumor cells are colon cancer cells, the antibody is against human WISP-1 and is a humanized or human monoclonal antibody, and the tumor cells are those of a human.