Claims
- 1. A method for detecting malignant hyperplasia in a biological sample, comprising the steps of:
(a) isolating mRNA from said sample; and (b) detecting stratum corneum chymotrytic enzyme mRNA in said sample, wherein the presence of said stratum corneum chymotrytic enzyme mRNA in said sample is indicative of the presence of malignant hyperplasia, wherein the absence of said stratum corneum chymotrytic enzyme mRNA in said sample is indicative of the absence of malignant hyperplasia.
- 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:
comparing said stratum corneum chymotrytic enzyme mRNA to reference information, wherein said comparison provides a diagnosis of said malignant hyperplasia.
- 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:
comparing said stratum corneum chymotrytic enzyme mRNA to reference information, wherein said comparison determines a treatment of said malignant hyperplasia.
- 4. The method of claim 1, wherein said detection of said stratum corneum chymotrytic enzyme mRNA is by PCR amplification.
- 5. The method of claim 4, wherein said PCR amplification uses primers selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID No. 10 and SEQ ID No. 11.
- 6. The method of claim 1, wherein said biological sample is selected from the group consisting of blood, urine, saliva, tears, interstitial fluid, ascites fluid, tumor tissue biopsy and circulating tumor cells.
- 7. A method of inhibiting expression of endogenous stratum corneum chymotrytic enzyme in a cell, comprising the step of:
introducing into said cell a vector comprising a stratum corneum chymotrytic enzyme gene operably linked in opposite orientation to elements necessary for expression, wherein expression of said vector in said cell produces stratum corneum chymotrytic enzyme antisense mRNA that hybridizes to endogenous stratum corneum chymotrytic enzyme mRNA, thereby inhibiting expression of endogenous stratum corneum chymotrytic enzyme in said cell.
- 8. A method of inhibiting stratum corneum chymotrytic enzyme protein in a cell, comprising the step of:
introducing into said cell an antibody specific for a stratum corneum chymotrytic enzyme (SCCE) protein or a fragment thereof, wherein binding of said antibody to said stratum corneum chymotrytic enzyme protein inhibits said stratum corneum chymotrytic enzyme protein in said cell.
- 9. The method of claim 8, wherein said SCCE protein fragment is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID Nos. 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 80, 86 and 99.
- 10. A method of targeted therapy to an individual, comprising the step of:
administering a compound to an individual, wherein said compound has a therapeutic moiety and a targeting moiety specific for stratum corneum chymotrytic enzyme.
- 11. The method of claim 10, wherein said targeting moiety is selected from the group consisting of an antibody specific for stratum corneum chymotrytic enzyme and a ligand or ligand binding domain that binds stratum corneum chymotrytic enzyme.
- 12. The method of claim 10, wherein said therapeutic moiety is selected from the group consisting of a radioisotope, a toxin, a chemotherapeutic agent, an immune stimulant and a cytotoxic agent.
- 13. The method of claim 10, wherein said individual suffers from a disease selected from the group consisting of ovarian cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer and other cancers in which stratum corneum chymotrytic enzyme is overexpressed.
- 14. A method of vaccinating an individual against stratum corneum chymotrytic enzyme, comprising the step of:
inoculating an individual with a stratum corneum chymotrytic enzyme protein or fragment thereof that lacks stratum corneum chymotrytic enzyme protease activity, wherein said inoculation with said stratum corneum chymotrytic enzyme protein or fragment thereof elicits an immune response in said individual, thereby vaccinating said individual against stratum corneum chymotrytic enzyme.
- 15. The method of claim 14, wherein said individual has a cancer, is suspected of having a cancer or is at risk of getting a cancer.
- 16. The method of claim 14, wherein the length of said stratum corneum chymotrytic enzyme fragment is from 9-residue long to 20-residue long.
- 17. The method of claim 16, wherein said 9-residue fragment is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID Nos. 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 80, 86 and 99.
- 18. A method of producing immune-activated cells directed toward stratum corneum chymotrytic enzyme, comprising the steps of:
exposing immune cells to a stratum corneum chymotrytic enzyme protein or fragment thereof that lacks stratum corneum chymotrytic enzyme protease activity, wherein said exposure to said stratum corneum chymotrytic enzyme protein or fragment thereof activates said immune cells, thereby producing immune-activated cells directed toward stratum corneum chymotrytic enzyme.
- 19. The method of claim 18, wherein said immune cells are selected from the group consisting of B cells, T cells and dendritric cells.
- 20. The method of claim 18, wherein the length of said stratum corneum chymotrytic enzyme fragment is from 9-residue long to 20-residue long.
- 21. The method of claim 20, wherein said 9-residue fragment is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID Nos. 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 80, 86 and 99.
- 22. The method of claim 19, wherein said dendritic cells are isolated from an individual prior to said exposure, wherein said activated dendritic cells are reintroduced into said individual subsequent to said exposure.
- 23. The method of claim 22, wherein said individual has a cancer, is suspected of having a cancer or is at risk of getting a cancer.
- 24. An immunogenic composition, comprising an immunogenic fragment of a stratum corneum chymotrytic enzyme protein and an appropriate adjuvant.
- 25. The immunogenic composition of claim 24, wherein the length of said stratum corneum chymotrytic enzyme fragment is from 9-residue long to 20-residue long.
- 26. The immunogenic composition of claim 25, wherein said 9-residue fragment is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID Nos. 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 80, 86 and 99.
- 27. An oligonucleotide having a sequence complementary to SEQ ID No. 30.
- 28. A composition comprising the oligonucleotide of claim 27 and a physiologically acceptable carrier.
- 29. A method of treating a neoplastic state in an individual in need of such treatment, comprising the step of:
administering to said individual an effective dose of the oligonucleotide of claim 27.
- 30. The method of claim 29, wherein said neoplastic state is selected from the group consisting of ovarian cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer and other cancers in which stratum corneum chymotrytic enzyme is overexpressed.
- 31. A method of screening for compounds that inhibit stratum corneum chymotrytic enzyme activity, comprising the steps of:
contacting a sample comprising stratum corneum chymotrytic enzyme protein with a compound; and assaying for stratum corneum chymotrytic enzyme protease activity, wherein a decrease in said stratum corneum chymotrytic enzyme protease activity in the presence of said compound relative to stratum corneum chymotrytic enzyme protease activity in the absence of said compound indicates said compound inhibits stratum corneum chymotrytic enzyme activity.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This is a continuation-in-part application which claims the benefit of priority under 35 USC §120 of U.S. Ser. No. 09/905,083, filed Jul. 13, 2001, which is a divisional application of U.S. Ser. No. 09/502,600, filed Feb. 11, 2000, which is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. Ser. No. 09/039,211, filed Mar. 14, 1998, which claims benefit of provisional patent application USSN 60/041,404, filed Mar. 19, 1997, now abandoned.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
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60041404 |
Mar 1997 |
US |
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
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Parent |
09502600 |
Feb 2000 |
US |
Child |
09905083 |
Jul 2001 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (2)
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Date |
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09905083 |
Jul 2001 |
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Child |
09918243 |
Jul 2001 |
US |
Parent |
09039211 |
Mar 1998 |
US |
Child |
09502600 |
Feb 2000 |
US |