Johns Hopkins University

Genzyme Corporation

The United States of America, As Represented by the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services

Esoterix Genetic Laboratories, LLC

Genzyne Corporation

The U.s.a. As Represented by the Secretary of the Hhs

Stephen L Madden

David Sidransky

Jin Jen

Mariana S Nacht

Gary A Beaudry

Arthur H Bertlesen

Tatiana Dracheva

Saraswati Vaidyanathan Sukumar

Arthur H Bertelsen

To gain a better understanding of breast tumor angiogenesis, breast endothelial cells (ECs) were isolated and evaluated for gene expression patterns. When transcripts from breast ECs derived from normal and malignant breast tissues were compared, genes that were specifically elevated in tumor-associated breast endothelium were revealed. These results confirm that neoplastic and normal endothelium in human breast are distinct at the molecular level, and have significant implications for the development of anti-angiogenic therapies in the future.

Breast endothelial cell expression patterns

The present invention provides methods for aiding in the diagnoses of the neoplastic condition of a lung cell and methods of screening for a potential therapeutic agent for the reversal of the neoplastic condition.

Methods for the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer

We used hierarchical clustering to examine gene expression profiles generated by serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) in a total of nine normal lung epithelial cells and non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC). Separation of normal and tumor samples, as well as histopathological subtypes, was evident using the 3,921 most abundant transcript tags. This distinction remained when just 115 highly differentially expressed transcript tags were used. Furthermore, these 115 transcript tags clustered into groups that were suggestive of the unique biological and pathological features of the different tissues examined. Adenocarcinomas were characterized by high-level expression of small airway-associated or immunologically related proteins, while squamous cell carcinomas overexpressed genes involved in cellular detoxification or antioxidation. The messages of two p53-regulated genes, p21and 14-3-3&#x3c3;, were consistently under-expressed in the adenocarcinomas, suggesting that the p53 pathway itself might be compromised in this cancer type. Gene expression observed by SAGE were consistent with the results obtained by quantitative real-time PCR or cDNA array analyses using 43 additional lung tumor and normal samples. Thus, although derived from only a few tissue libraries, molecular signatures of non-small cell lung cancer derived from SAGE most likely represent an unbiased yet distinctive molecular signature for human lung cancer.

Molecular characteristics of non-small cell lung cancer

Growing community of inventors

Sudbury, MA, United States of America

Stephen L Madden