Novel tumor necrosis factor receptor homologs and nucleic acids encoding the same

Abstract

The present invention is directed to novel polypeptides having homology to members of the tumor necrosis factor receptor family and to nucleic acid molecules encoding those polypeptides. Also provided herein are vectors and host cells comprising those nucleic acid sequences, chimeric polypeptides molecules comprising the polypeptides of the present invention fused to heterologous polypeptide sequences, antibodies which bind to the polypeptides of the present invention and to methods for producing the polypeptides of the present invention.

1 . A method of inhibiting or neutralizing EDA-A2 polypeptide biological activity in mammalian cells, comprising exposing said mammalian cells to an EDA-A2 polypeptide antagonist. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said EDA-A2 polypeptide antagonist is an immunoadhesin comprising a DNA 101848 polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 6, or a fragment thereof, fused to an Fc region of an immunoglobulin. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said EDA-A2 polypeptide antagonist comprises an antibody that binds specifically to a DNA 101848 polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:6, or a functional fragment of said antibody. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said antibody or antibody fragment is capable of inhibiting the binding of EDA-A2 to the DNA 101848 polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 6. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the antibody is a monoclonal antibody. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the antibody is humanized. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  or  claim 6 , wherein said antibody or antibody fragment is capable of inhibiting a biological activity of EDA-A2. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5  or  claim 6 , wherein said antibody or antibody fragment is capable of inhibiting binding of EDA-A2 to the DNA 101848 polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 6 by at least 50%, as compared to a negative control molecule. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said antibody or antibody fragment is capable of inhibiting binding of EDA-A2 to the DNA 101848 polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 6 by at least 90%, as compared to a negative control molecule. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said antibody or antibody fragment is capable of inhibiting binding of EDA-A2 to the DNA 101848 polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 6 by at least 99%, as compared to a negative control molecule.