Composition and methods for the diagnosis of immune related diseases involving the PRO52254 polypeptide

Abstract

The present invention relates to compositions containing a novel protein and methods of using those compositions for the diagnosis and treatment of immune related diseases involving detection of the PRO52254 polypeptide.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. A method of diagnosing an immune related disease in a mammal, wherein the immune related disease is psoriasis or inflammatory bowel disease, said method comprising the steps of:
 ( 1 ) detecting the level of expression of a gene encoding the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2 in a test sample of tissue cells obtained from the mammal,   ( 2 ) detecting the level of expression of the gene encoding the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2 in a control sample of known normal tissue cells of the same cell type, and   ( 3 ) diagnosing the immune related disease in the mammal when the level of expression of said gene in the test sample is higher as compared to the level of expression of said gene in the control sample.   
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the immune related disease is psoriasis. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the immune related disease is inflammatory bowel disease. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the level of expression of the gene encoding the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2 is detected with an antibody that specifically binds to the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2, or fragments thereof. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mammal is diagnosed of the immune related disease when the level of expression of said gene is at least 2 fold greater in the test sample as compared to the level of expression of said gene in the control sample. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the level of expression of the gene encoding the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2 is detected by an immunological method or a hybridization method. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the immunological method is immunohistochemical staining or ELISA. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the immunological method is ELISA. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the hybridization method is selected from the group consisting of Southern blotting, northern blotting, dot blotting, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), microarray analysis and in situ hybridization. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the hybridization method is microarray analysis. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the inflammatory bowel disease is ulcerative colitis. 
     
     
       12. A method of diagnosing an immune related disease in a mammal, wherein the immune related disease is psoriasis or inflammatory bowel disease, said method comprising the steps of:
 (a) contacting an antibody that specifically binds to a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, or fragments thereof, with a test sample of tissue cells obtained from said mammal,   (b) contacting the antibody with a control sample of known normal tissue cells of the same cell type,   (c) detecting the formation of a complex between the antibody and the polypeptide in the test sample and in the control sample, and   (d) diagnosing the immune related disease in the mammal from which the test sample of tissue cells were obtained when the quantity of complexes formed in the test sample is larger as compared to the quantity of complexes formed in the control sample.   
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the immune related disease is psoriasis. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the immune related disease is inflammatory bowel disease. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the formation of a complex between the antibody and the polypeptide is detected by immunohistochemical staining or ELISA. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the formation of a complex between the antibody and the polypeptide is detected by ELISA. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the inflammatory bowel disease is ulcerative colitis. 
     
     
       18. A method of increasing the activity of T-lymphocytes in a human, the method comprising administering to the human an effective amount of an antagonist of the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2, wherein the human has cancer and the activity of T-lymphocytes in the human is increased, and wherein the antagonist is an antibody, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, that specifically binds SEQ ID NO: 2. 
     
     
       19. The method of claim 18, wherein the antibody, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, is human. 
     
     
       20. The method of claim 18, wherein the antibody, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, is humanized. 
     
     
       21. The method of claim 18, wherein the antibody, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, is monoclonal, chimeric, bispecific, monovalent, bivalent, or single chain. 
     
     
       22. The method of claim 18, wherein the antibody, of antigen-binding fragment thereof, is in a heteroconjugate or an immunoconjugate. 
     
     
       23. A method of increasing the proliferation of T-lymphocytes in a human, the method comprising administering to the human an effective amount of an antagonist of the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2, wherein the human has cancer and the proliferation of T-lymphocytes in the human is increased, and wherein the antagonist is an antibody, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, that specifically binds SEQ ID NO: 2. 
     
     
       24. The method of claim 23, wherein the antibody, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, is human. 
     
     
       25. The method of claim 23, wherein the antibody, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, is humanized. 
     
     
       26. The method of claim 23, wherein the antibody, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, is monoclonal, chimeric, bispecific, monovalent, bivalent, or single chain. 
     
     
       27. The method of claim 23, wherein the antibody, of antigen-binding fragment thereof, is in a heteroconjugate or an immunoconjugate.