Melanoma biomarker and methods of uses

Abstract

The present invention relates to the use of TROY, also called tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily, member 19 (TNFRSF19) also called toxicity and JNK inducer (TAJ), in diagnosis and therapy of non-epithelial cancers, such as melanoma. Accordingly, the invention provides in vitro and in vivo diagnostic and/or prognostic methods for cancers, other than epithelial cancers, preferably melanoma, comprising analyzing TROY expression in a biological sample from an individual or in an individual, wherein expression of TROY in non-epithelial cells, such as in melanocytes, in indicative the biological sample or the individual containing malignant cells, such as malignant melanoma cells. The invention also provides therapeutic use of TROY targeting molecules, such as TROY antibodies or TROY targeting RNA interfering agents for treatment of cancer wherein the cancer cells express TROY.

1 . A method for treating a malignant non-epithelial cell tumor comprising administering to an individual having malignant non-epithelial cell tumor cells expressing TROY a pharmaceutical carrier with a TROY-targeting agent mixed with it. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the TROY-targeting agent is an antibody or an antibody fragment generated against TROY or an antigenic fragment of TROY or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the TROY-targeting agent induces a TROY-targeting T-cell response in the individual. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the TROY-targeting agent is a TROY peptide or a T-cell response inducing fragment of a TROY that specifically binds to a functional region in TROY. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the functional region of TROY is a TRAF. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the TRAF is a TRAF-6. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the TROY-targeting agent is a TROY peptide or a T cell response inducing fragment of a TROY is encoded by at least one vector. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the vector is a pox virus vector. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the administering comprises administering a first pox virus vector encoding a TROY peptide or a T-cell response inducing fragment of a TROY peptide and after a time interval administering a second pox virus vector encoding a TROY peptide or a T-cell response inducing fragment of a TROY. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first and second pox virus vectors are from different species.