NOVEL N-ACETYLGLUCOSAMINE TRANSFERASE, NUCLEIC ACID ENCODING THE SAME, ANTIBODY AGAINST THE SAME AND USE THEREOF FOR DIAGNOSING CANCER OR TUMOR

摘要

An enzyme having an activity of transferring N-acetylglucosamine to an N- acetylgalactosaminyl group via a .beta.-1,3 bond; a nucleic acid encoding the same; and a method of diagnosing cancer and/or tumor, in particular, cancer and/or tumor in digestive organs using the expression dose of the gene of the above enzyme as an indication. A novel gene of an enzyme having an activity of transferring N-acetylglucosamine to an N-acetylgalactosaminyl group via a .beta.-1,3 bond is cloned from human intestinal and gastric cells and its base sequence is determined. Then this enzyme is expressed and, moreover, a monoclonal antibody against this enzyme is constructed. Since this enzyme is not or little produced in cancer and/or tumor cells, in particular, cancer and/or tumor cells in digestive organs, cancer and/or tumor can be diagnosed using the expression dose of the gene of the above enzyme as an indication.