Methods for diagnosis and therapy for pancreatic cancer and composition useful therein

Abstract

Polynucleotide and polypeptide UKW are specific for pancreatic tumors. Diagnosis of UKW is therefore valuable for diagnosis of pancreatic tumors. Antibodies against UKW are, besides their value in diagnosis, useful as therapeutic agents for the treatment of pancreatic tumors.

1 . A method for the detection of pancreatic tumor, comprising:
 a) incubating a sample from a patient suspected of suffering from pancreatic cancer, said sample containing mRNA and being selected from the group consisting of body fluid, cells, and a cell extract, with a nucleic acid probe which is selected from the group consisting of   
       (i) the nucleic acid shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 or a nucleic acid which is 100% complementary to said sequence, and 
       (ii) nucleic acids which are capable of hybridizing with one of the nucleic acids from (i) under high stringent hybridization conditions;
 b) detecting hybridization; and 
 c) comparing the level of mRNA encoding UKW in the test sample, as evidenced by the approximate amount of hybridization of the test sample, to the level of mRNA of a housekeeping gene in the same test sample to identify whether or not the test sample contains an at least 3-fold greater level of mRNA encoding UKW in comparison to the level of mRNA of said housekeeping gene and therefrom determining whether the test sample contains pancreatic tumor cells; 
 said high stringent hybridization conditions being conditions involving washing said nucleic acids with a solution of 5×SSC, 0.5% SDS, 1.0 mmol/l EDTA, pH 8.0, then hybridizing said nucleic acids at 65 to 70° C. in 5×SSC overnight, then washing said nucleic acids at room temperature for 40 minutes with 2×SSC containing 0.1% SDS and afterwards washing said nucleic acids with 0.1×SSC, 0.1% SDS at 50° C. for 40 minutes with one change of fresh solution.