EZH2 Cancer Markers

• US 20090012031A1
• Filed: 07/03/2008
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Michigan (University of Michigan)
• Original Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Michigan (University of Michigan)
• Inventors: Chinnaiyan, Arul M., Cao, Qi, Lnu, Sooryanarayana
• Application Number:
  US12/167,520
• Publication Number:
  US 20090012031A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 514/44.R
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/35 having six-membered rings with one oxygen as the only ring hetero atom
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 31/00 Antiinfectives, i.e. antibiotics, antiseptics, chemotherapeutics

Abstract

The present invention relates to therapeutic targets for cancer. In particular, the present invention relates to small molecules and nucleic acids that target EZH2 expression in prostate cancer.

Claims

1. A method of inhibiting the growth of cells, comprising contacting a cell expressing EZH2 with a small molecule compound under conditions such that the expression of EZH2 in said cell is inhibited.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said small molecule is isoliquiritigenin.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said cell is a cancer cell.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said cell is in an organism.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said organism is an animal.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said animal has been diagnosed with cancer.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said cancer is prostate cancer.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said cancer is selected from the group consisting of breast cancer and bladder cancer.

9. A method of inhibiting the growth of cells, comprising contacting a cell expressing EZH2 with a miRNA under conditions such that the expression of EZH2 in said cell is inhibited.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said miRNA is miR-101.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said cell is a cancer cell.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said cell is in an organism.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said organism is an animal.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said animal has been diagnosed with cancer.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said cancer is prostate cancer.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said cancer is selected from the group consisting of breast cancer and bladder cancer.