Pkhdl1, a homolog of the autosomal recessive kidney disease gene

Abstract

Nucleic acids encoding fibrocystin-L polypeptides and fibrocystin-L polypeptides are provided. Antibodies against the polypeptides, vectors and host cells containing the nucleic acids, methods for using the nucleic acids and polypeptides, and compositions and articles of manufacture also are provided.

1 . An antibody having specific binding affinity for a fibrocystin-L polypeptide. 
     
     
         2 . The antibody of  claim 1 , wherein the fibrocystin-L polypeptide is encoded by SEQ ID NO:1. 
     
     
         3 . The antibody of  claim 1 , wherein the fibrocystin-L polypeptide is encoded by SEQ ID NO:2. 
     
     
         4 . The antibody of  claim 1 , wherein the fibrocystin-L polypeptide comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:3. 
     
     
         5 . The antibody of  claim 1 , wherein the fibrocystin-L polypeptide comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:4. 
     
     
         6 . The antibody of  claim 1 , wherein the antibody a polyclonal antibody. 
     
     
         7 . The antibody of  claim 1 , wherein the antibody is a monoclonal antibody. 
     
     
         8 . The antibody of  claim 1 , wherein the antibody is a humanized antibody. 
     
     
         9 . The antibody of  claim 1 , wherein the antibody is a chimeric antibody. 
     
     
         10 . The antibody of  claim 1 , wherein the antibody is a single chain Fv antibody fragment. 
     
     
         11 . The antibody of  claim 1 , wherein the antibody is an Fab fragment. 
     
     
         12 . The antibody of  claim 1 , wherein the antibody is an F(ab) 2  fragment. 
     
     
         13 . A method for determining whether a subject has endometrial cancer, comprising:
 (a) using the antibody of  claim 1  to measure the level of fibrocystin-L polypeptide in a biological sample from the subject, and   (b) determining that the subject has endometrial cancer if the level of fibrocystin-L polypeptide in the biological sample is increased relative to the level in a corresponding control sample, or determining that the subject does not have endometrial cancer if the level of fibrocystin-L polypeptide in the biological sample is not increased relative to the level in the corresponding control sample.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein step (a) comprises using immunohistochemistry, western blotting, or ELISA. 
     
     
         15 . A method for determining whether a biological sample from a subject contains cancer cells, comprising:
 (a) measuring the level of fibrocystin-L in the biological sample by contacting the sample with the antibody of  claim 1 , and   (b) determining that the sample contains cancer cells if the level of fibrocystin-L in the sample is increased relative to a control level, or determining that the sample does not contain cancer cells if the level of fibrocystin-L in the sample is not increased relative to the control level.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the biological sample is an endometrial, breast, ovarian, lung, or colon sample. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the sample is a bodily fluid sample. 
     
     
         18 . A method for measuring the level of fibrocystin-L or fragments thereof in a sample of bodily fluid, the method comprising contacting the sample with the antibody of  claim 1 , and measuring the level of fibrocystin-L or fragments thereof based on the amount of antibody bound to the sample. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the bodily fluid comprises blood, serum, or urine. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the bodily fluid comprises cells, and wherein the method comprises measuring the amount of antibody bound to the cells the sample.