IL-8 Like Protein

Abstract

This present invention relates to a novel protein, termed INSP085, herein identified as an IL-8 like protein and to the use of this protein and nucleic acid sequence from the encoding genes in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of disease.

1 - 2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . A purified nucleic acid molecule which encodes a polypeptide, wherein the polypeptide:
 (i) comprises the amino acid sequence as recited in SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:10 and/or SEQ ID NO:12;   (ii) is a fragment thereof which functions as a member of the IL-8 like chemokine family, or having an antigenic determinant in common with the polypeptide of (i): or   (iii) is a functional equivalent of (i) or (ii).   
     
     
         4 . The purified nucleic acid molecule according to  claim 3 , which comprises the nucleic acid sequence as recited in SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:9, and/or SEQ ID NO:11, or is a redundant equivalent or fragment thereof; or wherein the nucleic acid molecule hybridizes under high stringency conditions with a nucleic acid molecule that encodes the polypeptide. 
     
     
         5 . A vector comprising a nucleic acid molecule as recited in  claim 3 . 
     
     
         6 . A host cell transformed with a vector according to  claim 5 . 
     
     
         7 - 8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . A nucleic acid molecule according to  claim 3 , a vector comprising a nucleic acid molecule according to  claim 5 , or a host cell transformed with a vector according to  claim 6 , for use in therapy or diagnosis of disease. 
     
     
         10 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A pharmaceutical or a vaccine composition comprising a nucleic acid molecule according to  claim 3 , a vector comprising a nucleic acid molecule according to  claim 5 , or a host cell transformed with a vector according to  claim 6 . 
     
     
         14 . A nucleic acid molecule according to  claim 3 , a vector comprising a nucleic acid molecule according to claim  1  according to  claim 5 , or a host cell transformed with a vector according to  claim 6 , or a pharmaceutical composition comprising any of the above, for use in the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment of reproductive disorders, including infertility, cell proliferative disorders, including neoplasm, melanoma, lung, colorectal, breast, pancreas, head and neck and other solid tumours; myeloproliferative disorders, such as leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, angiogenesis disorder, Kaposis' sarcoma; autoimmune/inflammatory disorders, including allergy, inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis, psoriasis and respiratory tract inflammation, asthma, and organ transplant rejection; cardiovascular disorders, including hypertension, oedema, angina, atherosclerosis, thrombosis, sepsis, shock, reperfusion injury, and ischemia; neurological disorders including central nervous system disease, Alzheimer's disease, brain injury, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and pain; developmental disorders; metabolic disorders including diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis, and obesity, AIDS and renal disease; infections including viral infection, bacterial infection, fungal infection, parasitic infection, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis, osteoarthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), systemic sclerosis, scleroderma, polymyositis, glomerulonephritis, fibrosis, lung fibrosis and inflammation, allergic, or hypersensitivity diseases, dermatitis, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, (COPD), Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, multiple sclerosis, septic shock, HIV infection, transplant rejection, wound healing, metastasis, endometriosis, hepatitis, liver fibrosis, cancer, analgesia, and vascular inflammation related to atherosclerosis, wherein said disease is a disease in which IL-8 like chemokines are implicated, and other pathological conditions. 
     
     
         15 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A kit, wherein:
 a) the kit is useful for diagnosing disease comprising a first container containing a nucleic acid probe that hybridises under stringent conditions with a nucleic acid molecule according to  claim 3 ; a second container containing primers useful for amplifying said nucleic acid molecule; and instructions for using the probe and primers for facilitating the diagnosis of disease, wherein the kit optionally further comprises a third container holding an agent for digesting unhybridized RNA; or   b) the kit comprises an array of nucleic acid molecules, at least one of which is a nucleic acid molecule according to  claim 3 .   
     
     
         19 - 20 . (canceled)