Antibody that specifically recognizes and binds to reic/dkk-3 protein having active structure and monitoring of cancer treatment using such anti-reic/dkk-3 antibody

Abstract

This invention provides an anti-REIC antibody that specifically recognizes a cancer-associated protein (REIC/Dkk-3) and enables monitoring of cancer treatment effects involving the use of the REIC/Dkk-3 gene or the REIC/Dkk-3 protein as a medicine. This invention also provides a method of diagnosis involving the use of such antibody. The method of diagnosis comprises a method of cancer detection comprising: measuring the REIC/Dkk-3 protein concentration in the biological sample obtained from a subject with the use of a first antibody or a functional fragment thereof that specifically recognizes the REIC/Dkk-3 protein having an active structure produced by a normal cell but does not recognize and bind to the REIC/Dkk-3 protein existing at a high level in the blood from a cancer patient or has low reactivity with the REIC/Dkk-3 protein existing at a high level in the blood from a cancer patient; and, when the REIC/Dkk-3 protein concentration in the biological sample obtained from the subject is lower than the REIC/Dkk-3 protein concentration in the biological sample from a healthy individual, determining that the subject is suffered from precancer or a neoplastic disease.