Oncotherapy Science, Incorporated

Eisai Company, Limited

Cancer Institute

The University of Tokyo

Yusuke Nakamura

Yoichi Furukawa

Satoshi Matsushima

Takuya Tsunoda

Hideaki Tahara

Sachiko Yoshimura

Tomohisa Watanabe

Ryuji Ohsawa

Shuichi Nakatsuru

Ryuji Hamamoto

The present invention provides isolated peptides or the fragments derived from SEQ ID NO: 45, which bind to an HLA antigen and induce cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). The peptides may include the above mentioned amino acid sequence with substitution deletion, or addition of one, two, or several amino acids sequences. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions including these peptides. The peptides of this invention can be used for diagnosing or treating cancer.

NEIL3 peptides and vaccines including the same

Objective methods for detecting and diagnosing colon cancer are described herein. In one embodiment, the diagnostic method involves determining the expression level of TOM34 that discriminates between colon cancer cells and normal cells. Finally, the present invention provides methods of screening for therapeutic agents useful in the treatment of colon cancer, methods of treating colon cancer and method for vaccinating a subject against colon cancer.

Colon cancer related gene TOM34

The present invention relates to methods for determining the methyltransferase activity of a polypeptide and screening for modulators of methyltransferase activity, more particularly for modulators of the methylation of VEGFR1 by SMYD3. The invention further provides methods and pharmaceutical compositions for treating and preventing colorectal cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, bladder cancer and/or breast cancer using a modulator so identified.

Methods of identifying agents that modulate methylation of VEGFR1 by SMYD3

The invention features a method for determining methyl transferase activity of a polypeptide and screening for modulators of methyl transferase activity. The invention further provides a method or pharmaceutical composition for prevention or treating of colorectal cancer or hepatocellular carcinoma using the modulator.

Methods of detecting methyl transferase activity and methods of screening for methyl transferase activity modulators

The present invention provides a novel human gene ZNFN3A1 whose expression is markedly elevated in a great majority of HCCs compared to corresponding non-cancerous liver tissues. The gene encodes a protein having a zinc finger domain as well as a SET domain and has been found to form a regulatory complex with RNA helicase and RNA polymerase.

Gene and protein relating to hepatocellular carcinoma and methods of use thereof

The present application provides novel human genes WDRPUH and KRZFPUH, and PPIL1 whose expression is markedly elevated in a great majority of HCCs and colorectal cancers, respectively, compared to corresponding non-cancerous tissues, as well as novel human gene APCDD1 whose expression is elevated in primary colon cancers and down-regulated in response to the transduction of wild-type APC1 into colon-cancer cells. The genes and polypeptides encoded by the genes can be used, for example, in the diagnosis of a cell proliferative disease, and as target molecules for developing drugs against the disease.

Genes and polypeptides relating to hepatocellular or colorectal carcinoma

The present invention features a method for determining the methyltransferase activity of a polypeptide and screening for modulators of methyltransferase activity, more particularly for modulators of the methylation of retinoblastoma by SMYD3. The invention further provides a method or pharmaceutical composition for prevention or treating of colorectal cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, bladder cancer and/or breast cancer using a modulator so identified. N-terminal truncated forms of SMYD3 (alias ZNFN3A1) have higher methylating activity. Lys 824 is a preferred methylation site on the RB1 protein for SMYD3.

Methods of modulating SMYD3 for treatment of cancer

Objective methods for detecting and diagnosing breast cancer (BRC) are described herein. Also described are methods of treating and preventing breast cancer and breast cancer metastasis as well as methods of assessing the prognosis of a breast cancer subject and the efficacy of a breast cancer therapy. In one embodiment, the diagnostic method involves determining the expression level of ZNFN3A1, a gene whose expression is markedly elevated in breast cancers, that therefore can be used to discriminate between BRC cells and normal cells. The present invention further provides methods of screening for therapeutic agents useful in the treatment of BRC, methods of treating BRC and method for vaccinating a subject against BRC.

Breast cancer related gene ZNFN3A1

Genes up-regulated in hepatocellular carcinomas and polypeptides encoded by these genes are provided. Vectors, transformants and methods for producing the recombinant polypeptides are also provided. Probes and primers of these genes and antibodies against the polypeptides are also provided. The probes, primers and antibodies can be used as reagents for detecting hepatocellular carcinomas. Methods for detecting hepatocellular carcinomas using such detection reagents are further provided. Antisense nucleotide sequences of these genes are also provided and can be used to inhibit growth of hepatocellular carcinomas.

Hepatocellular carcinoma-related genes and polypeptides, and method for detecting hepatocellular carcinomas

The present application provides novel human genes RNF43 whose expression is markedly elevated in colorectal cancers, as well as CXADRL1 and GCUD1 whose expression is markedly elevated in gastric cancers compared to corresponding non-cancerous tissues. The genes and polypeptides encoded by the genes can be used, for example, in the diagnosis of a cell proliferative disease, and as target molecules for developing drugs against the disease.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Yoichi Furukawa