Animal model exhibiting cancer, pulmonary emphysema and cardiomyopathy

摘要

The present invention relates to an animal model and cells which do not produce functional latent transforming growth factor beta binding protein 4 or which produce suboptimal levels of latent transforming growth factor beta binding protein 4. Furthermore, the present invention relates to mehods and kits for diagnosing cancer, pulmonary emphysema or cardiomyopathy and analyzing whether cancer and/or pulmonary emphysema and/or cardiomyopathy are caused by a differential expression of LTBP-4 or by a defect in LTBP-4 gene. Moreover the present invention relates to selecting an agent for treating a sympton occurring in the animal model of the invention.