Cathepsin k and breast cancer

摘要

The invention concerns methods to screen for and evaluate potential antagonists for cathepsin K being capable of inhibiting or at least lowering cathepsin K activity as well as diagnostic means for the detection of expression of cathepsin K in breast cells and tissues being indicative of breast cancer and related metastasis. The invention further provides use of an antibody or an immunologically active fragment thereof or of antisense nucleotide sequences or of other potential antagonists to cathepsin K activity identified by the above screening methods in the preparation of a composition for use in the treatment of breast cancer and breast cancer metastasis as well as pharmaceutical compositions comprising said compounds.