Biomarker for sensitivity to mTOR inhibitor therapy in kidney cancer

摘要

The invention disclosed herein provides methods for the examination and/or quantification of biochemical pathways that are disregukted in pathologies such as cancer and to reagents and kits adapted for performing such methods. For example a correlation between VHL loss and mTOR inhibitor sensitivity in human kidney cancer cells is disclosed, indicating that VHL loss confers autonomous and angiogenic competitive advantages to such cells.

主权项

1. A method for identifying a mammalian kidney tumor cell lineage that is likely to respond, or is responsive to an mTOR polypeptide inhibitor, the method comprising examining cells of the mammalian kidney tumor cell lineage for:
an at least 50% decrease in the expression of the Von Hippel Lindau (VHL) tumor suppressor protein (SEQ ID NO: 1) in the cells of the mammalian kidney tumor cell lineage as compared to a control cell of the same cellular lineage as the cells of the mammalian kidney tumor cell lineage; wherein: an at least 50% decrease in the expression of the Von Hippel Lindau (VHL) tumor suppressor protein identifies the cells of the mammalian kidney tumor cell lineage as likely to respond or responsive to an mTOR polypeptide inhibitor; and the method further comprises combining the cells of the mammalian kidney tumor cell lineage identified as likely to respond or responsive to an mTOR polypeptide inhibitor with an mTOR polypeptide inhibitor.