Genetic products differentially expressed in tumors and use thereof

Abstract

The invention relates to the identification of genetic products that are expressed in association with a tumor and the nucleic acid coding therefor. The invention relates to the therapy and diagnosis of diseases in which the genetic products that are expressed in association with a tumor are expressed in an aberrant manner. The invention also relates to proteins, polypeptides, and peptides which are expressed in association with a tumor and the nucleic acids coding therefor.

1 .- 32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . A method of diagnosing a disease characterized by expression or abnormal expression of a tumor-associated antigen, which method comprises detection of a nucleic acid which codes for the tumor-associated in a sample isolated from a patient, with said tumor-associated antigen having a sequence encoded by a nucleic acid which comprises a nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 39, or a part thereof, wherein the part thereof is a sequence selected from the group consisting of ESTs AW137203, BF327792, BF327797, BE069044, and BF330665. 
     
     
         34 . The method as claimed in  claim 33 , in which the detection comprises
 (i) contacting the sample with an agent which binds specifically to the nucleic acid coding for the tumor-associated antigen, and   (ii) detecting the formation of a complex between the agent and the nucleic acid.   
     
     
         35 . The method as claimed in  claim 34 , in which the detection is compared to detection in comparable normal sample. 
     
     
         36 . The method as claimed in any of  claim 33 , in which the disease is characterized by expression or abnormal expression of the tumor-associated antigens and in which detection comprises detection of the nucleic acid coding for said tumor-associated antigen. 
     
     
         37 . The method as claimed in  claim 33 , in which the nucleic acid is detected using a polynucleotide probe prepared by amplification with a primer set comprising SEQ ID NO: 44 and SEQ ID NO: 45 or SEQ ID NO: 46 and SEQ ID NO: 47 which hybridizes specifically to said nucleic acid. 
     
     
         38 . The method as claimed in  claim 37 , in which the polynucleotide probe comprises a sequence of 6-50 contiguous nucleotides of the nucleic acid coding for the tumor-associated antigen. 
     
     
         39 . The method as claimed in  claim 33 , in which the nucleic acid is detected by selectively amplifying said nucleic acid with a primer set comprising SEQ ID NO: 44 and SEQ ID NO: 45 or SEQ ID NO: 46 and SEQ ID NO: 47. 
     
     
         40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . (canceled) 
     
     
         42 . (canceled) 
     
     
         43 . (canceled) 
     
     
         44 . A method for determining regression, course or onset of a disease characterized by expression abnormal expression of a tumor-associated antigen, which method comprises monitoring a sample from a patient who has said disease or is suspected of falling ill with said disease, with respect to the amount of nucleic acid which codes for the tumor-associated antigen, said tumor-associated antigen having a sequence encoded by a nucleic acid which comprises a nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 39, or a part thereof, wherein the part thereof is a sequence selected from the group consisting of ESTs AW137203, BF327792, BF327797, BE069044, and BF330665. 
     
     
         45 . The method as claimed in  claim 44 , wherein the monitoring is determined in a first sample at a first point in time and in a further sample at a second point in time and in which the course of the disease is determined by comparing the two samples. 
     
     
         46 . The method as claimed in  claim 44 , in which the disease is characterized by expression or abnormal expression of the tumor-associated antigens and in which monitoring comprises monitoring the amount of the nucleic acids which code for said tumor-associated antigen. 
     
     
         47 . The method as claimed in  claim 44 , in which the amount of the nucleic acid is monitored using a polynucleotide probe prepared by amplification with a primer set comprising SEQ ID NO: 44 and SEQ ID NO: 45 or SEQ ID NO: 46 and SEQ ID NO: 47 which hybridizes specifically to said nucleic acid. 
     
     
         48 . The method as claimed in  claim 47 , in which the polynucleotide probe comprises a sequence of 6-50 contiguous nucleotides of the nucleic acid coding for the tumor-associated antigen. 
     
     
         49 . The method as claimed in  claim 44 , in which the amount of the nucleic acid is monitored by selectively amplifying said nucleic acid with a primer set comprising SEQ ID NO: 44 and SEQ ID NO: 45 or SEQ ID NO: 46 and SEQ ID NO: 47. 
     
     
         50 . (canceled) 
     
     
         51 . (canceled) 
     
     
         52 . (canceled) 
     
     
         53 . (canceled) 
     
     
         54 . (canceled) 
     
     
         55 . The method as claimed in  claim 33 , in which the sample comprises body fluid and/or body tissue and the disease is breast cancer. 
     
     
         56 .- 117 . (canceled) 
     
     
         118 . The method as claimed in  claim 44 , in which the sample comprises body fluid and/or body tissue and the disease is breast cancer.