Bone morphogenetic protein-2 in the treatment and diagnosis of cancer
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Abstract
The present invention pertains to the use of BMP-2, which is overexpressed in most common cancers, as 1) a target for cancer treatment therapies and 2) a means to diagnose cancer. The therapeutic component of this invention involves administering to a patient a composition that inhibits bone morphogenetic-2 activity. Such inhibition may be accomplished by ligands or antibodies that bind to BMP-2 or BMP-2 receptors. It may also be achieved by preventing the processing of pro-BMP-2, or blocking transcription or replication of BMP-2 DNA or translation of BMP-2 mRNA. The diagnostic component of the invention involves measuring the BMP-2 level in biological samples from both a patient and a subject and comparing those levels. Elevated levels of BMP-2 in the patient compared to the non-cancerous subject indicate cancer.
26 Citations
22 Claims
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1-20. -20. (canceled)
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21. A method for identifying an agent that reduces tumor vascularization comprising contacting a tumor cell that overexpresses bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) or BMP-2 receptor with a test agent and determining the expression or activity of BMP-2 or BMP-2 receptor in the tumor cell, wherein a decrease in the expression or activity of BMP-2 or BMP-2 receptor in the tumor cell contacted with the test agent, compared to a tumor cell not contacted with the test agent, is indicative of an agent that reduces tumor vascularization.
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22. A method for identifying an agent that reduces tumor vascularization comprising contacting bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) or BMP-2 receptor with a test agent and determining BMP-2/BMP-2 receptor binding or activity of BMP-2 or BMP-2 receptor, wherein a decrease in the BMP-2/BMP-2 receptor binding or activity of BMP-2 or BMP-2 receptor contacted with the test agent, compared to BMP-2 or BMP-2 receptor not contacted with the test agent, is indicative of an agent that reduces tumor vascularization.
Specification