Translocation and mutant ros kinase in human non-small cell lung carcinoma

Abstract

In accordance with the invention, a novel gene translocation, (5q32, 6q22), in human non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) that results in a fusion proteins combining part of CD74 with Proto-oncogene Tyrosine Protein Kinase ROS Precursor (ROS) kinase has now been identified. The CD74-ROS fusion protein is anticipated to drive the proliferation and survival of a subgroup of NSCLC tumors. The invention therefore provides, in part, isolated polynucleotides and vectors encoding the disclosed mutant ROS kinase polypeptides, probes for detecting it, isolated mutant polypeptides, recombinant polypeptides, and reagents for detecting the fusion and truncated polypeptides. The disclosed identification of the new fusion protein enables new methods for determining the presence of these mutant ROS kinase polypeptides in a biological sample, methods for screening for compounds that inhibit the proteins, and methods for inhibiting the progression of a cancer characterized by the mutant polynucleotides or polypeptides, which are also provided by the invention.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An isolated polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence at least 95% identical to a sequence selected from the group consisting of:
 (a) a nucleotide sequence encoding a CD74-ROS fusion polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1;   (b) a nucleotide sequence encoding a CD74-ROS fusion polypeptide, said nucleotide sequence comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2;   (c) a nucleotide sequence encoding a CD74-ROS fusion polypeptide comprising the N-terminal amino acid sequence of CD74 (residues 1-208 of SEQ ID NO: 3) and the kinase domain of ROS (residues 1945-2222 of SEQ ID NO: 5);   (d) a nucleotide sequence comprising the N-terminal nucleotide sequence of CD74 (residues 1-624 of SEQ ID NO: 4) and the kinase domain nucleotide sequence of ROS (residues 6032-6865 of SEQ ID NO: 6);   (e) a nucleotide sequence comprising at least six contiguous nucleotides encompassing the fusion junction (residues 622-627 of SEQ ID NO: 2) of a CD74-ROS fusion polynucleotide;   (f) a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide comprising at least six contiguous amino acids encompassing the fusion junction (residues 208-209 of SEQ ID NO: 1) of a CD74-ROS fusion polypeptide; and   (g) a nucleotide sequence complementary to any of the nucleotide sequences of (a)-(f).   
     
     
         2 . The isolated polynucleotide of  claim 1 , wherein said nucleotide sequence of (b) comprises the coding nucleotide sequence of the cDNA clone contained in ATCC Deposit No. ______. 
     
     
         3 . An isolated polynucleotide that hybridizes under stringent hybridization conditions to a polynucleotide of  claim 1 , wherein said isolated polynucleotide that hybridizes does not hybridize under stringent hybridization conditions to a polynucleotide having a nucleotide sequence consisting of only A residues or of only T residues. 
     
     
         4 . The isolated polynucleotide of  claim 3 , wherein said polynucleotide further comprises a detectable label. 
     
     
         5 . A method for producing a recombinant vector comprising inserting an isolated nucleic acid molecule of  claim 1  into a vector. 
     
     
         6 . A recombinant vector produced by the method of  claim 5 . 
     
     
         7 . A method for making a recombinant host cell comprising introducing the recombinant vector of  claim 6  into a host cell. 
     
     
         8 . A recombinant host cell produced by the method of  claim 7 . 
     
     
         9 . A method for producing a recombinant CD74-ROS fusion polypeptide, said method comprising culturing the recombinant host cell of  claim 8  under conditions suitable for the expression of said fusion polypeptide and recovering said polypeptide. 
     
     
         10 . An isolated polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 95% identical to a sequence selected from the group consisting of:
 (a) an amino acid sequence encoding a CD74-ROS fusion polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1;   (b) an amino acid sequence encoding a CD74-ROS fusion polypeptide comprising the N-terminal amino acid sequence of CD74 (residues 1-208 of SEQ ID NO: 3) and the kinase domain of ROS (residues 1945-2222 of SEQ ID NO: 5); and   (c) an amino acid sequence encoding a polypeptide comprising at least six contiguous amino acids encompassing the fusion junction (residues 208-209 of SEQ ID NO: 1) of a CD74-ROS fusion polypeptide.   
     
     
         11 . The isolated polypeptide of  claim 10 , wherein said amino acid sequence of (a) comprises the CD74-ROS fusion polypeptide sequence encoded by the cDNA contained in ATCC Deposit No. ______. 
     
     
         12 . A recombinant CD74-ROS fusion polypeptide or truncated ROS kinase polypeptide produced using the recombinant vector of  claim 6  or the recombinant host cell of  claim 8 . 
     
     
         13 . An isolated reagent that specifically binds to or detects a CD74-ROS fusion polypeptide of  claim 10 , but does not bind to or detect either wild type CD74 or wild type ROS. 
     
     
         14 . The isolated reagent of  claim 12 , wherein said reagent is an antibody or a heavy-isotope labeled (AQUA) peptide. 
     
     
         15 . The heavy isotope labeled (AQUA) peptide of  claim 15 , wherein said peptide comprises the amino acid sequence of the fusion junction of CD74-ROS fusion polypeptide. 
     
     
         16 . A method for detecting the presence of a mutant ROS polynucleotide and/or polypeptide in a cancer, said method comprising the steps of:
 (a) obtaining a biological sample from a patient having or suspected of having cancer; and   (b) utilizing at least one reagent that detects a polynucleotide of  claim 1  and/or at least one reagent of  claim 13  to determine whether a CD74-ROS fusion polynucleotide and/or polypeptide is present in said biological sample.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said cancer is lung cancer. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said lung cancer is non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the presence of a mutant ROS polynucleotide or polypeptide identifies a cancer that is likely to respond to a composition comprising at least one ROS kinase-inhibiting therapeutic. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the method is implemented in a flow-cytometry (FC), immuno-histochemistry (IHC), or immuno-fluorescence (IF) assay format. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the method is implemented in a fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay format. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the activity of said CD74-ROS fusion polypeptide is detected. 
     
     
         23 . A method for determining whether a compound inhibits the progression of a cancer characterized by a CD74-ROS fusion polynucleotide and/or polypeptide, said method comprising the step of determining whether said compound inhibits the expression and/or activity of said CD74-ROS fusion polypeptide in said cancer. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein inhibition of expression and/or activity of said CD74-ROS fusion polypeptide is determined using at least one reagent that detects a polynucleotide of  claim 1  and/or at least one reagent of  claim 13 . 
     
     
         25 . A method for inhibiting the progression of a cancer that expresses a CD74-ROS fusion polypeptide, said method comprising the step of inhibiting the expression and/or activity of said CD74-ROS fusion polypeptide in said cancer. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said cancer is lung cancer. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said lung cancer is non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). 
     
     
         28 . A kit for the detection of a CD74-ROS fusion polynucleotide and/or polypeptide in a biological sample, said kit comprising at least one polynucleotide of  claim 1  and/or at least one reagent of  claim 13 , and one or more secondary reagents.