CANINE CD20 GENE

摘要

It is intended to clarify the CD20 amino acid sequence and its gene sequence which are essentially required in constructing an anti-CD20 antibody useful in treating animal malignant lymphoma. It is also intended to provide a method of diagnosing canine malignant lymphoma by using the CD20 gene sequence. Using monocytes in canine blood as a sample, mRNA is obtained and the full base sequence of canine CD20 gene (SEQ ID NO:2) is determined. Based on this sequence, its amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO:1) is determined. Comparing the homologies with human and mouse CD20 genes and amino acid sequences, it is identified as canine CD20 gene. Moreover, a primer specific to the canine CD20 gene is constructed and the expression of the CD20 gene in a sample is examined, thereby giving a method of diagnosing canine B lymphocyte-origin malignant lymphoma.