Patent ID: 7153700
Filing Date: 2006-12-26
Classification: C12Q,G01N

Abstract:
1. A method of determining the metastatic potential of a tumor comprising: (a) contacting a tumor sample, or isolate thereof, with an antibody that specifically binds to a human SIX1 polypeptide or a nucleic acid probe that specifically hybridizes to a human SIX1 nucleic acid molecule under stringent conditions, comprising hybridization in 6X SSC at about 45° C., followed by one or more washes in 0.2X SSC, 0.1% SPS at 50–65° C., such that expression of the SIX1 polypeptide or nucleic acid molecule is detected in the tumor sample or isolate; and (b) comparing the expression of SIX1 in the sample or isolate to a standard or control, wherein increased expression of SIX1 relative to the standard or control is determinative of the metastatic potential of the tumor, wherein the antibody specifically binds to a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of: wherein the human SIX1 nucleic acid molecule encodes a biologically active human SIX1 polypeptide, and is selected from the group consisting of a nucleic acid molecule consisting of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, a nucleic acid molecule comprising at least nucleotides 276 to 1130 of SEQ ID NO:1, and a nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2.