| 摘要 |
The present inventors have discovered that humans have a gene that encodes a novel protein of the thymosin .beta. family. This novel protein, herein referred to as thymosin .beta.15, has the ability to bind and sequester Gactin, like other members of the thymosin .beta. family, but unlike what is known about other members also directly regulates cell motility in prostatic carcinoma cells. A cDNA of the human thymosin .beta.15 gene (SEQ ID NO: 1) and having deduced the amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO: 2) was isolated. The present inventors have shown that enhanced transcripts (mRNA) and expression of the thymosin .beta.15 gene in non-testicular cells has a high correlation to disease state in a number of cancers, such as prostate, lung, melanoma and breast cancer, particularly metastatic cancers. Accordingly, discovering enhanced levels of transcript or gene product in non-testicular tissues can be used in not only a diagnostic manner, but a prognostic manner for particular cancers.
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