Cell division marker

• US 7,682,799 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2006
• Issued: 03/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University Of Massachusetts
• Original Assignee: University Of Massachusetts
• Inventors: Chen, Chun-Ting, Doxsey, Stephen J.
• Primary Examiner(s): GABEL, GAILENE
• Application Number:
  US11/544,053
• Publication Number:
  US 20070154957A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,264 Days
• Field of Search: 435/1.1, 435/6, 435/7.1, 435/7.2, 435/7.21, 435/7.23, 435/7.24, 435 792- 795, 435/40.5, 435/40.51, 435/40.52, 435/354, 435/358, 435/363, 435/367, 435/371, 435/372, 435/373, 435/374, 435/376, 435/973, 436/512, 436/517, 436/519, 436/63, 436/64, 436/164, 436/172, 436/813
• US Class Current: 435/7.1
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 14/705 Receptors; Cell surface antigens; Cell surface determinants tumour specific antigens C07K14/4748
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2800/085 Liver diseases, e.g. portal hypertension, fibrosis, cirrhosis, bilirubin
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2800/12 Pulmonary diseases
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2800/20 Dermatological disorders
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2800/323 Arteriosclerosis, Stenosis
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2800/328 Vasculitis, i.e. inflammation of blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2800/342 Prostate diseases, e.g. BPH, prostatitis
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2800/347 Renal failures; Glomerular diseases; Tubulointerstitial diseases, e.g. nephritic syndrome, glomerulonephritis; Renovascular diseases, e.g. renal artery occlusion, nephropathy
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2800/36 Gynecology or obstetrics
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2800/364 Endometriosis, i.e. non-malignant disorder in which functioning endometrial tissue is present outside the uterine cavity
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/564 for pre-existing immune complex or autoimmune disease , i.e. systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid factors or complement components C1-C9
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/56966 Animal cells
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/57484 involving compounds serving as markers for tumor, cancer, neoplasia, e.g. cellular determinants, receptors, heat shock/stress proteins, A-protein, oligosaccharides, metabolites
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/57492 involving compounds localized on the membrane of tumor or cancer cells

Abstract

This application relates to a newly identified animal cell structure, the midbody scar. This structure is a remnant of the midbody that is retained by one daughter cell following cytokinesis and persists through multiple subsequent cell cycles. The midbody scar can be useful as a marker of dividing cells or of a cell'"'"'s replicative age.

Claims

1. A method of detecting the presence of a midbody scar in a mammalian cell, the method comprising:

contacting a mammalian cell suspected to have a midbody scar with an antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof that binds specifically to a polypeptide component of a midbody scar selected from the group consisting of mitotic kinesin-like protein 1 (MKLP1), Epsilon tubulin (ε

-tubulin), Centrosomal Protein 55 kDa (Cep55), and Aurora B kinase;

detecting binding of the antibody to its antigen; and

identifying a midbody scar in the mammalian cell if binding of the antibody to its antigen is detected in a ring structure not at a midbody or centrosome, thereby detecting a midbody scar.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising:

contacting the mammalian cell with two or more antibodies or antigen-binding portions thereof that each bind specifically to a polypeptide component of a midbody scar, and

detecting binding of the two or more antibodies,

wherein colocalized binding of the two or more of antibodies indicates the presence of a midbody scar.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the polypeptide is selected from the group consisting of mitotic kinesin-like protein 1 (MKLP1);

Epsilon tubulin (ε

-tubulin);

Centrosomal Protein 55 kDa (Cep55); and

Aurora B kinase.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the cell is in interphase.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the mammalian cell is a fixed cell.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the fixed cell is in a pathology specimen.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the cell is in tissue.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the antibody or antigen-binding portion thereof is bound or linked to a detectable moiety.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein detecting binding of the antibody to its antigen comprises detecting the detectable moiety.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the ring structure is about 2 μ

m in diameter.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the ring structure is localized adjacent to the plasma membrane.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the ring structure is determined not to comprise detectable gamma tubulin.