DIAGNOSTIC METHODS AND AGENTS

摘要

The present invention relates generally to a method for detecting an aberran t cell in a subject or in a biological sample from said subject and agents useful for same. The presence of the aberrant cell or group of aberrant cell s provides an indication of a particular disease or condition or a propensity for development of a disease or condition. More particularly, the present invention contemplates a method for detecting a cell associated with cancer or having a propensity to develop into a cancer cell in a subject or in a biological sample from said subject by determining the relative increase in the presence of a LIM kinase protein or a related enzyme or a relative increase in LIM kinase activity or a relative increase in the presence of expression products from a gene encoding a LIM kinase or a related protein. The present invention further provides a method for diagnosing the presence of a cancer or cancerous-like growth or distinguishing between an invasive and non-invasive cancer in a subject or in a biological sample from said subject by screening for up-regulation of a LIM kinase or a related protein in a cel l or group of cells or an up-regulation in the presence of expression products of genetic sequences encoding a LIM kinase or a related protein. The present invention provides diagnostic agents useful for detecting LIM kinase or expression products of genetic material encoding LIM kinase. Such diagnostic agents include immunointeractive molecules, such as antibodies, and genetic probes for detecting expression products of LIM kinase genes. The present invention further provides genetically modified animals exhibiting altered levels of LIM kinase. Such animals are useful models for screening for anti- cancer agents.