Abstract:
Tumors attract blood vessels in order to grow by a process called angiogenesis. The relative quantity of stimulators and inhibitors is an important determining factor for the initiation of angiogenesis. Thrombospondins- 1  and - 2  are adhesive glycoproteins that have the ability to inhibit angiogenesis. This inhibiting activity has been mapped to the type  1  repeats of TSP- 1  and TSP- 2 . The invention includes chimeric proteins that contain anti-angiogenic portions of TSP- 1 , TSP- 2 , endostatin, angiostatin, platelet factor  4 , or prolactin, linked to a portion of the N-terminal region of human cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) that allows formation of pentamers. Also described herein are the nucleic acid molecules, vectors, and host cells for expressing and producing these chimeric proteins. Further embodiments of the invention include methods to treat humans or other mammals with anti-angiogenic proteins to reduce tumor size or rate of growth. Since the type  1  repeat region of TSP- 1  and TSP- 2  reportedly inhibits HIV infection, chimeric proteins comprising these repeats may also be used for this purpose, as well as to inhibit angiogenesis.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/US00/02482, which designated the United States and was filed Feb. 1, 2000, published in English, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/118,053 filed Feb. 1, 1999. The entire teachings of the above applications are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     GOVERNMENT SUPPORT  
       [0002] The invention was supported, in whole or in part, by grants HL 28749 and HL 49081 form The Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health. The Government has certain rights in the invention. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Thrombospondins are a family of calcium-binding multifunctional glycoproteins that are secreted by various cell types and are developmentally regulated components of the extracellular matrix (Bornstein, P.,  FASEB J.,  6:3290-3299, 1992; Bornstein, P.,  J. Cell Biol.,  130:503-506, 1995). Among their functions are modulating cell attachment, migration and proliferation.  
           [0004]    One member of this family, cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) is a pentamer in which multimerization appears to be directed by α-helical segments situated (in the amino acid sequence) either before or after the cysteine residues that form the interchain disulfide bonds. COMP has been purified (Prochownik, E. V. et al.,  J. Cell Biol.  109:843-852 (1989)). Individuals affected with pseudoachondroplasia, who have considerably shortened stature as a result of premature cessation of bone growth, have been shown to have mutations in exon 17B of the COMP protein ( Nature Genetics  10:325-329 (1995)).  
           [0005]    In vitro assays have shown that platelet thrombospondin- 1  is involved in thrombosis, fibrinolysis, wound healing, inflammation, tumor cell metastasis and angiogenesis. The major form of thrombospondin secreted by platelets and endothelial cells is TSP- 1 . Thrombospondin- 1  (TSP- 1 ) is an angiogenesis inhibitor that decreases tumor growth. Thrombospondin- 2  (TSP- 2 ) is a related glycoprotein of similar structure and properties.  
           [0006]    The thrombospondin type  1  repeats (TSRs; also “repeat regions” herein) have been shown to inhibit angiogenesis and HIV infection. However, other portions of the proteins have been shown to have a positive effect on endothelial cell growth. Thromobospondin- 1  and - 2  are similar in terms of their molecular architecture. Thrombospondin-land thrombospondin- 2  each have three copies of the TSR. TSP- 1  and TSP- 2  are trimeric molecules. Thus, each fully assembled protein contains nine TSRs.  
           [0007]    Whereas TSP- 1  and TSP- 2  are antiangiogenic, these proteins contain other domains that have additional activities that diminish the antiangiogenic activity. The isolated TSRs are more potent inhibitors of angiogenesis than the native molecules.  
           [0008]    The ingrowth of new capillary networks into developing tumors is essential for the progression of cancer. Thus, the development of pharmaceuticals that inhibit the process of angiogenesis is an important therapeutic goal. As pointed out in a review by Folkman (Folkman, J.,  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA  95:9064-9066, 1998), antiangiogenic therapy has little toxicity, does not require the therapeutic agent to enter tumor cells or cross the blood-brain barrier, controls tumor growth independently of growth of tumor cell heterogeneity, and does not induce drug resistance.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    The invention includes chimeric proteins comprising: (1) a chimeric protein comprising the second and third type  1  repeats of human TSP- 1 , and which may also comprise the procollagen homology region of TSP- 1 ; (2) a chimeric protein comprising the multimerization domain of human COMP, the first type  2  repeat of human COMP, and the second and third type  1  repeats of human TSP- 1 ; (3) a chimeric protein comprising the multimerization domain of human COMP, the first type  2  repeat of human COMP, and the second and third type  1  repeats of human TSP- 1 , but not the TGF-β activation region of human TSP- 1 ; (4) a chimeric protein comprising the multimerization domain of human COMP, the procollagen region, and the first, second, and third type  1  repeats of human TSP- 1 ; (5) a chimeric protein comprising the three type  1  repeats of human TSP- 2 , and which may also comprise the procollagen homology region of TSP- 2 ; (6) a chimeric protein comprising the multimerization domain of human COMP, the first type  2  repeat of human COMP, and the three type  1  repeats of human TSP- 2 ; and (7) variants of any of the above having anti-angiogenic activity. The invention further includes isolated nucleic acids encoding any of the above chimeric proteins, vectors comprising these nucleic acids, and host cells comprising any of said vectors. The chimeric proteins can be produced in host cells and used in methods for the treatment of a disease or medical condition characterized by abnormal or undesirable proliferation of blood vessels, such as that occurring in tumor growth.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is a representation of the amino acid sequence of human TSP- 1  (SEQ ID NO: 1). The type  1  repeats of TSP- 1  are, as illustrated here, 1) amino acids 361-416;2) amino acids 417-473; and 3) amino acids 474-530.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is a representation of the amino acid sequence of human TSP- 2  (SEQ ID NO: 2). The type  1  repeats of TSP- 2  are, as illustrated here, 1) amino acids 381-436; 2) amino acids 437-493; and 3) amino acids 494-550.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 is a representation of the amino acid sequence of human COMP (SEQ ID NO: 3). The type  2  repeats of COMP are, as illustrated here, 1) amino acids 89-128; 2) amino acids 129-181; 3) amino acids 182-226; and 4) amino acids 227-268.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIGS. 4A and 4B together are a representation of the DNA sequence (SEQ ID NO: 4) of gene encoding a human COMP/TSP- 1  chimeric protein and the amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO: 5) of a human COMP/TSP- 1  chimeric protein encoded by the DNA sequence above it.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 5A and 5B together are a representation of the DNA sequence (SEQ ID NO: 6) of a gene encoding a human COMP/TSP- 2  chimeric protein and the amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO: 7) of a human COMP/TSP- 2  chimeric protein encoded by the DNA sequence above it.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of a few of the chimeric protein embodiments of the invention.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 7 is a graph showing tumor volume (mm 3 ) at 7, 14 and 21 days in the experiment described in Example 3, in which mice were injected with an unaltered (control) vector, pNeo (filled diamonds) or with an expression vector encoding COMP/TSP- 1  chimeric protein (filled squares). 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0017]    Described herein is a protein that has the functional activity of the TSR but not other activities associated with TSP- 1  or TSP- 2 , and is assembled into a multimeric structure. One embodiment of the invention is a chimeric protein that comprises the TSRs from TSP- 1  or TSP- 2  and the multimer assembly region of human cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), using a portion of the amino-terminal end. Other portions of TSP- 1  or TSP- 2  can be incorporated into the chimeric protein, such as the procollagen homology region of TSP- 1  and/or TSP- 2 . The last two TSRs of TSP- 1  are preferably used because the first TSR has the ability to activate transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), which stimulates tumor growth. The COMP assembly domain spontaneously forms a 5-stranded α-helical domain, allowing for the use of the COMP domain as a tool for pentamerization.  
         [0018]    Thus, the COMP/TSP- 1  construct contains the region for multimerization, the first type  2  repeat of human COMP (construct encodes amino acids 1-128) and the second and third TSRs of human TSP- 1  (construct encodes amino acids 417-530). See the Table for active sequences of TSP- 1  (taken from chapter 2, “The Primary Structure of the Thrombospondins”  In The Thrombospondin Gene Family  (J. C. Adams et al., eds.) Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg (1995)). The assembled protein is a pentamer containing 10 copies of the TSR. Thus, COMP/TSP- 1  and COMP/TSP- 2  are expected to be more active than TSP- 1  and TSP- 2 . COMP/TSP- 1  and COMP/TSP- 2  are expected to be correctly folded and multimeric so that they better mimic the natural proteins than peptides that are based on the TSR sequence.  
         [0019]    The first type  2  repeat of COMP includes amino acid residues 73-130, based on the genomic sequence. The amount of COMP sequence at the 3′ end can be increased or decreased to maximize activity. For example, two or more type  2  repeats of COMP can be included if moving the type  1  repeats of TSP- 1  or TSP- 2  farther out on the arms of the expressed protein increases its activity. Alternatively, “spacer” sequence not naturally occurring in COMP or in TSP- 1  or TSP- 2  can be added. The COMP/TSP- 2  construct contains the same region of COMP and the three TSRs of human TSP- 2  (construct encodes amino acids 381-550). When it is assembled to a pentamer this chimeric protein will contain 15 TSRs. Because these proteins are derived from portions of human proteins, they should not be immunogenic in humans.  
                             TABLE                           Active Regions of Interest Within Thrombospondin-1            Domain   Sequence   Function               Procollagen   NGVQYRN (SEQ ID NO: 8)   Anti-angiogenesis       homology       Type 1 repeats   CSVTCG (SEQ ID NO: 9)   Cell binding           WSXWSXW (SEQ ID NO: 10)   Heparin binding           GGWSHW (SEQ ID NO: 11)   TGF-β and Fibronectin               binding           RFK   TGF-β activation           SPWDICSVTCGGGVQKRSR (SEQ ID NO: 12)   Anti-angiogenesis       Type 2 repeats   DVDEC(X) 6 C(X) 8 CENTDPGYNCLPC (SEQ ID NO: 13)   Calcium binding                  
 
         [0020]    In one aspect, the invention comprises polynucleotides or nucleic acid molecules that encode chimeric proteins having portions whose amino acid sequences are derived from human TSP- 1 . By the genomic structure, the type  1  repeats of TSP- 1  are amino acid residues 359-414 (first), amino acid residues 415-473 (second), and 474-531 (third). In one case, the chimeric protein encoded by the polynucleotides of the invention comprises the second and third type  1  repeats of human TSP- 1 . Such a chimeric protein may also comprise the procollagen homology region and the first type  1  repeat of TSP- 1 . If amino acid sequences that activate TGF-β are included in the product protein, and are found to reduce anti-angiogenic activity, the RFK sequence can be mutated (to QFK, for example) to a sequence that does not activate TGF-β, by appropriate manipulations of the nucleic acid molecule or construct encoding the chimeric proteins. In another case, the chimeric proteins encoded by the polynucleotides of the invention are variants of the immediately aforementioned chimeric protein which have activity that is similar in quality and quantity (for example, plus or minus one order of magnitude in an assay) to the anti-angiogenic activity of the protein whose amino acid sequence is represented in FIGS. 4A and 4B. In another case, the chimeric proteins encoded by polynucleotides of the invention comprise the second and third type  1  repeats of human TSP- 1 , the multimerization domain of human COMP, and the first type  2  repeat of human COMP. In another case, the chimeric proteins encoded by the polynucleotides of the invention are variants of the immediately aforementioned chimeric protein which have activity that is similar in quality and quantity to the anti-angiogenic activity of the protein whose amino acid sequence is represented in FIGS. 4A and 4B.  
         [0021]    In one aspect, the invention comprises polynucleotides or nucleic acid molecules that encode chimeric proteins having portions whose amino acid sequences are derived from human TSP- 2 . The genomic structure of the human TSP- 2  gene, which would provide one way to define the boundaries of the repeats, has not been determined. In one case, the chimeric protein encoded by the polynucleotides of the invention comprises the three type  1  repeats of human TSP- 2 . In another case, the chimeric proteins encoded by the polynucleotides of the invention are variants of the immediately aforementioned chimeric proteins which have activity that is similar in quality and quantity to the anti-angiogenic activity of the protein whose amino acid sequence is represented in FIGS. 5A and 5B. In another case, the chimeric protein encoded by polynucleotides of the invention comprises the three type  1  repeats of human TSP- 2 , and the multimerization domain of human COMP. In another case, the chimeric proteins encoded by the polynucleotides of the invention are variants of the immediately aforementioned chimeric protein which have activity that is similar in quality and quantity to the anti-angiogenic activity of the protein whose amino acid sequence is represented in FIGS. 5A and 5B.  
         [0022]    The polynucleotides of the invention can be made by recombinant methods, can be made synthetically, can be replicated by enzymes in in vitro (e.g., PCR) or in vivo systems (e.g., by suitable host cells, when inserted into a vector appropriate for replication within the host cells), or can be made by a combination of methods. The polynucleotides of the invention can include DNA and its RNA counterpart.  
         [0023]    As used herein, “nucleic acid,” “nucleic acid molecule,” “oligonucleotide” and “polynucleotide” include DNA and RNA and chemical derivatives thereof, including phosphorothioate derivatives and RNA and DNA molecules having a radioactive isotope or a chemical adduct such as a fluorophore, chromophore or biotin (which can be referred to as a “label”). The RNA counterpart of a DNA is a polymer of ribonucleotide units, wherein the nucleotide sequence can be depicted as having the base U (uracil) at sites within a molecule where DNA has the base T (thymidine).  
         [0024]    Isolated nucleic acid molecules or polynucleotides can be purified from a natural source or can be made recombinantly. Polynucleotides referred to herein as “isolated” are polynucleotides purified to a state beyond that in which they exist in cells. They include polynucleotides obtained by methods described herein, similar methods or other suitable methods, and also include essentially pure polynucleotides produced by chemical synthesis or by combinations of biological and chemical methods, and recombinant polynucleotides that have been isolated. The term “isolated” as used herein for nucleic acid molecules, indicates that the molecule in question exists in a physical milieu distinct from that in which it occurs in nature. For example, an isolated polynucleotide may be substantially isolated with respect to the complex cellular milieu in which it naturally occurs, and may even be purified essentially to homogeneity, for example as determined by agarose or polyacrylamide gel electorphoresis or by A 260 /A 280  measurements, but may also have further cofactors or molecular stabilizers (for instance, buffers or salts) added.  
         [0025]    The invention further comprises the polypeptides encoded by the isolated nucleic acid molecules of the invention. Thus, for example, the invention relates to fusion proteins, comprising a portion of TSP- 1  which comprises the second and third type  1  repeats, linked to a second moiety not occurring in TSP- 1  as found in nature. In an analogous manner, the invention relates also to fusion proteins, comprising TSP- 2  or a functional portion thereof such as one or more repeat regions as a first moiety, linked to second moiety not occurring in TSP- 2  as found in nature. The second moiety can be an amino acid, peptide or polypeptide, and can have enzymatic or binding activity of its own. The first moiety can be in an N-terminal location, C-terminal location or internal to the fusion protein. In one embodiment, the fusion protein comprises the portion of human TSP- 1  described immediately above, or human TSP- 2  or a portion thereof as the first moiety, and a second moiety comprising a linker sequence and an affinity ligand.  
         [0026]    Another aspect of the invention relates to a method of producing a chimeric protein of the invention, or a variant thereof, and to expression systems and host cells containing a vector appropriate for expression of a chimeric protein of the invention. Variants of the chimeric protein include those having amino acid sequences that differ from those sequences in FIGS. 4A and 4B, and FIGS. 5A and 5B, wherein those variants have several, such as 5 to 10, 1 to 5, or 3, 2 or 1 amino acids substituted, deleted, or added, in any combination, compared to the sequences in FIGS. 4A and 4B and FIGS. 5A and 5B. In one embodiment, variants have silent substitutions, additions and deletions that do not alter the properties and activities of the chimeric protein. Variants can also be modified polypeptides in which one or more amino acid residues are modified, and mutants comprising one or more modified residues.  
         [0027]    Proteins and polypeptides described herein can be assessed for their angiogenic activity by using an assay such as those described in Tolsma, S. S. et al.,  J. Cell Biol.  122(2):497-511 (1993), one which measures the migration of bovine adrenal capillary endothelial cells in culture, and one which tests migration of cells into a sponge containing an agent to be tested for activity. A further test for angiogenesis, which can also be adapted also to test anti-angiogenesis activity, is described in Polverini, P. J. et al.,  Methods. Enzymol.  198:440-450 (1991).  
         [0028]    Cells that express such a chimeric protein or a variant thereof can be made and maintained in culture, under conditions suitable for expression, to produce protein for isolation. These cells can be procaryotic or eucaryotic. Examples of procaryotic cells that can be used for expression (as “host cells”; “cell” including herein cells of tissues, cell cultures, cell strains and cell lines) include  Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis  and other bacteria. Examples of eucaryotic cells that can be used for expression include yeasts such as  Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Pichia pastoris  and other lower eucaryotic cells, and cells of higher eucaryotes such as those from insects and mammals. Suitable cells of mammalian origin include primary cells, and cell lines such as CHO, HeLa, 3T3, BHK, COS, 293, and Jurkat cells. Suitable cells of insect origin include primary cells, and cell lines such as SF9 and High five cells. (See, e.g., Ausubel, F. M. et al., eds.  Current Protocols in Molecular Biology,  Greene Publishing Associates and John Wiley &amp; Sons Inc., (containing Supplements up through 1998)).  
         [0029]    In one embodiment, host cells that produce a recombinant chimeric protein, variant, or portions thereof can be made as follows. A gene encoding a chimeric protein described herein can be inserted into a nucleic acid vector, e.g., a DNA vector, such as a plasmid, virus or other suitable replicon (including vectors suitable for use in gene therapy, such as those derived from adenovirus or others; see, for example Xu, M. et al.,  Molecular Genetics and Metabolism  63:103-109, 1998) can be present in a single copy or multiple copies, or the gene can be integrated in a host cell chromosome. A suitable replicon or integrated gene can contain all or part of the coding sequence for the protein or variant, operably linked to one or more expression control regions whereby the coding sequence is under the control of transcription signals and linked to appropriate translation signals to permit translation. The vector can be introduced into cells by a method appropriate to the type of host cells (e.g., transformation, electroporation, infection). For expression from the gene, the host cells can be maintained under appropriate conditions (e.g., in the presence of inducer, normal growth conditions, etc.). Proteins or polypeptides thus produced can be recovered (e.g., from the cells, the periplasmic space, culture medium) using suitable techniques.  
         [0030]    The invention also relates to isolated proteins or polypeptides encoded by nucleic acids of the present invention. Isolated proteins can be purified from a natural source or can be made recombinantly. Proteins or polypeptides referred to herein as “isolated” are proteins or polypeptides purified to a state beyond that in which they exist in cells and include proteins or polypeptides obtained by methods described herein, similar methods or other suitable methods, and also include essentially pure proteins or polypeptides, proteins or polypeptides produced by chemical synthesis or by combinations of biological and chemical methods, and recombinant proteins or polypeptides which are isolated. Thus, the term “isolated” as used herein, indicates that the polypeptide in question exists in a physical milieu distinct from the cell in which its biosynthesis occurs. For example, an isolated COMP/TSP- 1  or COMP/TSP- 2  chimeric protein may be purified essentially to homogeneity, for example as determined by PAGE or column chromatography (for example, HPLC), but may also have further cofactors or molecular stabilizers added to the purified protein to enhance activity. In one embodiment, proteins or polypeptides are isolated to a state at least about 75% pure; more preferably at least about 85% pure, and still more preferably at least about 95% pure, as determined by Coomassie blue staining of proteins on SDS-polyacrylamide gels.  
         [0031]    Chimeric or fusion proteins can be produced by a variety of methods. For example, a chimeric protein can be produced by the insertion of a TSP gene or portion thereof into a suitable expression vector, such as Bluescript SK +/−(Stratagene), pGEX-4T-2 (Pharmacia), pET-15b, pET-20b(+) or pET−24(+) (Novagen). The resulting construct can be introduced into a suitable host cell for expression. Upon expression, chimeric protein can be purified from a cell lysate by means of a suitable affinity matrix (see e.g.,  Current Protocols in Molecular Biology  (Ausubel, F. M. et al., eds., Vol. 2, pp. 16.4.1-16.7.8, containing supplements up through Supplement 44, 1998).  
         [0032]    Polypeptides of the invention can be recovered and purified from cell cultures by well-known methods. The recombinant protein can be purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation, heparin-Sepharose affinity chromatography, gel filtration chromatography and/or sucrose gradient ultracentrifugation using standard techniques. Further methods that can be used for purification of the polypeptide include ethanol precipitation, acid extraction, anion or cation exchange chromatography, phosphocellulose chromatography, hydrophobic interaction chromatography, affinity chromatography, hydroxylapatite chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography. Known methods for refolding protein can be used to regenerate active conformation if the polypeptide is denatured during isolation or purification.  
         [0033]    The method to construct genes encoding COMP/TSP- 1  or COMP/TSP- 2  hybrid proteins can be applied more broadly to produce polynucleotides, and vectors and host cells comprising such polynucleotides, wherein the polynucleotides encode COMP/endostatin, COMP/angiostatin, COMP/platelet factor 4, or COMP/prolactin, for example. In each case, a portion of a polynucleotide known to encode full-length human endostatin, angiostatin, platelet factor 4 (GenBank Accession No. M25897) or prolactin (GenBank Accession No. V00566), can be chosen for cloning into a COMP cDNA as illustrated herein for COMP/TSP- 1  and COMP/TSP- 2  DNA constructs. Thus, the invention also includes COMP/endostatin, COMP/angiostatin, COMP/platelet factor  4 , and COMP/prolactin chimeric proteins encoded by such nucleic acid constructs. See FIG. 6 for a schematic representation of the structure of COMP/endostatin.  
         [0034]    In addition, a portion of the endostatin, angiostatin, platelet factor 4 or prolactin coding regions, wherein that portion encodes a polypeptide having anti-angiogenic activity, can be added to or incorporated into a DNA construct encoding COMP/TSP- 1 , such that a TSP- 1 -derived polypeptide and a polypeptide derived from endostatin, angiostatin, platelet factor 4 or prolactin are produced fused together in tandem on the same “arm” of the “5-armed” COMP-multimerized pentamer. Different expression constructs can be introduced into the same host cells such that two or more chimeric protein “arms” of different types (e.g., COMP/angiostatin and COMP/TSP- 1  or COMP/TSP- 2 ) are joined at the COMP multimerization domain.  
         [0035]    Chimeric protein antiangiogenic agents can be used, for example, after surgery or radiation to prevent recurrence of metastases, in combination with conventional chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or various types of gene therapy not necessarily directed against angiogenesis.  
         [0036]    Construction of COMP/TSP- 1 P Expression Vectors  
         [0037]    Expression vectors that can be used to produce COMP/TSP- 1 P, a chimeric protein that includes the procollagen homology region (see FIG. 6), can be produced from two distinct cDNAs. The COMP portion is identical to that in the Examples described herein. For TSP- 1 , a new forward primer (GAT GAC GTC ACT GAA GAG AAC AAA GAG) (SEQ ID NO: 14) and the same reverse primer as described in the Examples can be used to produce a PCR product that is approximately 750 base pairs in size and has an AatII restriction endonuclease site at the 5′ end and an XbaI restriction endonuclease site at the 3′ end. The product codes for amino acids 284-530 and includes the procollagen homology region (exons 6 and 7) and type  1  repeats. If inclusion of the TGF-β activating sequence (RFK) that is in the first type  1  repeat is found to reduce the antitumor activity, this sequence will be mutated to an inactive sequence (QFK, for example) using an oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis kit (Amersham). The COMP/TSP- 1 P expression vector can be constructed by cutting the PCR product with AatII and XbaI and cloning it into the COMP cDNA cut with the same enzymes. The protein can be expressed using the methods that have been described for COMP/TSP- 1  and COMP/TSP- 2 .  
         [0038]    Construction of COMP/Endostatin Expression Vectors  
         [0039]    The strategy for making multimers of the TSP- 1  and TSP- 2  can be used to make multimers of other anti-angiogenic proteins. For example, if the active region of endostatin is prepared by PCR and cloned into the COMP cDNA, a pentameric structure of endostatin can be made when this construct is expressed (O&#39;Reilly M. D., et al.,  Cell  88:277-285, (1997)). In addition, if the COMP/TSP- 1  and the COMP/endostatin genes are expressed concurrently within the same cells, mixed pentamers of COMP/TSP-  1  and COMP/endostatin subunits are made. The mixed multimer allows simultaneous treatment with the two reagents by delivery of a single therapeutic. An additive or synergistic effect of the two agents may significantly increase the efficacy of this reagent as compared to that of each reagent alone. For example, combination therapy with angiostatin and endostatin has eradicated tumors in mice (Boehm, T. et al.,  Nature  390:404-407, 1997).  
         [0040]    The cDNA for endostatin can be prepared by PCR of liver cDNA or from an isolated cDNA clone for collagen XVIII (GenBank accession no. L22548). The human endostatin cDNA can be produced by PCR with the forward primer GAT GAC GTC CAC AGC CAC CGC G (SEQ ID NO: 15) and the reverse primer GAT TCT AGA CTA CTT GGA GGC AGT CAT G (SEQ ID NO: 16). The resulting PCR product is approximately 560 base pairs and encodes amino acids 1 to 184 of human endostatin (Sasaki, T., et al.,  EMBO J.,  17:4249-4256, 1998). The COMP/endostatin expression vector can be constructed by cutting the PCR product with AatII and XbaI, and cloning it into cDNA cut with the same enzymes. The protein can be expressed using the methods that have been described herein for COMP/TSP- 1  and COMP/TSP- 2 . Angiostatin, as it was isolated from mice bearing Lewis lung carcinoma, includes the first four kringle domains of plasminogen (amino acids 98-440) (O&#39;Reilly, M. S., et al., Cell 79:315-328, 1994). It should be noted that smaller constructs that contain fewer kringle domains should also be active based on published data (Griscelli, F., et al.,  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA  95:6367-6372, 1998). A 16,000 dalton fragment of prolactin and platelet factor  4  have also been reported to inhibit angiogenesis (Clapp, C. et al.,  Endocrinology  133:1292-1299, 1993; Gapta, S. K., et al.,  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA  92:7799-7803, 1995).  
         [0041]    Also included in the inventions are compositions containing, as a biological ingredient, an anti-angiogenic chimeric protein, or a variant thereof to inhibit angiogenesis in mammalian tissues, and use of such compositions in the treatment of diseases and conditions characterized by, or associated with, angiogenic activity. Such methods can involve administration by oral, topical, injection, implantation, sustained release, or other delivery methods that bring one or more anti-angiogenic chimeric proteins in contact with cells whose growth is to be inhibited.  
         [0042]    The present invention includes a method of treating an angiogenesis-mediated disease with a therapeutically effective amount of one or more anti-angiogenic chimeric proteins. Angiogenesis-mediated diseases can include, but are not limited to, cancers, solid tumors, tumor metastasis, benign tumors (e.g., hemangiomas, acoustic neuromas, neurofibromas, trachomas, and pyogenic granulomas), rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, ocular angiogenic diseases (e.g., diabetic retinopathy, retinopathy of prematurity, macular degeneration, corneal graft rejection, neovascular glaucoma, retrolental fibroplasia, rubeosis), Osler-Webber Syndrome, myocardial angiogenesis, plaque neovascularization, telangiectasia, hemophiliac joints, angiofibroma, and wound granulation.  
         [0043]    “Cancer” means neoplastic growth, hyperplastic or proliferative growth or a pathological state of abnormal cellular development and includes solid tumors, non-solid tumors, and any abnormal cellular proliferation, such as that seen in leukemia. As used herein, “cancer” also means angiogenesis-dependent cancers and tumors, i.e., tumors that require for their growth (expansion in volume and/or mass) an increase in the number and density of the blood vessels supplying them with blood. “Regression” refers to the reduction of tumor mass and size. As used herein, the term “therapeutically effective amount” means the total amount of each active component of the composition or method that is sufficient to show a meaningful benefit to a treated human or other mammal, i.e., treatment, healing, prevention or amelioration of the relevant medical condition, or an increase in rate of treatment, healing, prevention or amelioration of such conditions. More specifically, for example, a therapeutically effective amount of an anti-angiogenic chimeric protein can cause a measurable reduction in the size or numbers of tumors, or in their rate of growth or multiplication, compared to untreated tumors. Other methods of assessing a “therapeutically effective amount,” can include the result that blood vessel formation is measurably reduced in treated tissues compared to untreated tissues.  
         [0044]    One or more anti-angiogenic chimeric proteins may be used in combination with other compositions and procedures for the treatment of diseases. For example, a tumor may be treated conventionally with surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, or immunotherapy, combined with anti-angiogenic chimeric proteins, and then anti-angiogenic chimeric proteins may be subsequently administered to the patient to extend the dormancy of micrometastases and to stabilize and inhibit the growth of any residual primary tumor.  
         [0045]    The compositions may further contain other agents which either enhance the activity of the protein or compliment its activity or use in treatment, such as chemotherapeutic or radioactive agents. Such additional factors and/or agents may be included in the composition to produce a synergistic effect with protein of the invention, or to minimize side effects. Additionally, administration of the composition of the present invention may be administered concurrently with other therapies, e.g., administered in conjunction with a chemotherapy, immunotherapy or radiation therapy regimen.  
         [0046]    The angiogenesis-modulating composition of the present invention may be a solid, liquid or aerosol and may be administered by any known route of administration. Examples of solid compositions include pills, creams, and implantable dosage units. The pills may be administered orally, the therapeutic creams may be administered topically. The implantable dosage unit may be administered locally, for example at a tumor site, or may be implanted for systemic release of the angiogenesis-modulating composition, for example subcutaneously. Examples of liquid composition include formulations adapted for injection subcutaneously, intravenously, intraarterially, and formulations for topical and intraocular administration. Examples of aerosol formulation include inhaler formulation for administration to the lungs.  
         [0047]    The anti-angiogenic chimeric proteins can be provided as isolated and substantially purified proteins in pharmaceutically acceptable formulations (including aqueous or nonaqueous carriers or solvents) using formulation methods known to those of ordinary skill in the art. These formulations can be administered by standard routes. In general, the combinations may be administered by the topical, transdermal, intraperitoneal, intracranial, intracerebroventricular, intracerebral, intravaginal, intrauterine, oral, rectal or parenteral (e.g., intravenous, intraspinal, subcutaneous or intramuscular) route. In addition, the anti-angiogenic chimeric proteins may be incorporated into biodegradable polymers allowing for sustained release of the compound, the polymers being implanted in the vicinity of where drug delivery is desired, for example, at the site of a tumor, or implanted so that the anti-angiogenic chimeric proteins is slowly released systemically. Osmotic minipumps may also be used to provide controlled delivery of high concentrations of anti-angiogenic chimeric proteins through cannulae to the site of interest, such as directly into a growth or into the vascular supply to that growth. The biodegradable polymers and their use are described, for example, in detail in Brem et al (1991) ( J. Neurosurg.  74:441-446), which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.  
         [0048]    As used herein, the terms “pharmaceutically acceptable,” as it refers to compositions, carriers, diluents and reagents, represents that the materials are capable of administration to or upon a mammal with a minimum of undesirable physiological effects such as nausea, dizziness, gastric upset and the like. The preparation of a pharmacological composition that contains active ingredients dissolved or dispersed therein is well understood in the art and need not be limited based on formulation. Typically, such compositions are prepared as injectables either as liquid solutions or suspensions, however, solid forms suitable for solution, or suspensions, in liquid prior to use can also be prepared. The preparation can also be emulsified, for example, in liposomes.  
         [0049]    The dosage of the anti-angiogenic chimeric proteins of the present invention will depend on the disease state or condition being treated and other clinical factors such as weight and condition of the human or animal and the route of administration of the compound. It is to be understood that the present invention has application for both human and veterinary use. The methods of the present invention contemplate single as well as multiple administrations, given either simultaneously or over an extended period of time.  
         [0050]    The present invention also encompasses gene therapy whereby a polynucleotide encoding one or more anti-angiogenic chimeric proteins or one or more variants thereof, is introduced and regulated in a patient. Various methods of transferring or delivering DNA to cells for expression of the gene product protein, otherwise referred to as gene therapy, are disclosed in  Gene Transfer into Mammalian Somatic Cells in Vivo , N. Yang (1992)  Crit. Rev. Biotechnol.  12(4):335-356, which is hereby incorporated by reference. Gene therapy encompasses incorporation of DNA sequences into somatic cells or germ line cells for use in either ex vivo or in vivo therapy. Gene therapy can function to replace genes, augment normal or abnormal gene function, and to combat infectious diseases and other pathologies.  
         [0051]    Strategies for treating these medical problems with gene therapy include therapeutic strategies such as identifying the defective gene and then adding a functional gene to either replace the function of the defective gene or to augment a slightly functional gene; or prophylactic strategies, such as adding a gene for the product protein that will treat the condition or that will make the tissue or organ more susceptible to a treatment regimen. For example, a gene encoding an anti-angiogenic chimeric protein may be inserted into tumor cells of a patient and thus inhibit angiogenesis.  
         [0052]    Gene transfer methods for gene therapy fall into three broad categories: physical (e.g., electroporation, direct gene transfer and particle bombardment), chemical (e.g., lipid-based carriers, or other non-viral vectors) and biological (e.g., virus-derived vector and receptor uptake). For example, non-viral vectors may be used which include liposomes coated with DNA. Such liposome/DNA complexes may be directly injected intravenously into the patient. It is believed that the liposome/DNA complexes are concentrated in the liver where they deliver the DNA to macrophages and Kupffer cells. These cells are long lived and thus provide long term expression of the delivered DNA. Additionally, vectors or the “naked” DNA of the gene may be directly injected into the desired organ, tissue or tumor for targeted delivery of the therapeutic DNA.  
         [0053]    In vivo gene transfer involves introducing the DNA into the cells of the patient when the cells are within the patient. Methods include using virally mediated gene transfer using a noninfectious virus to deliver the gene in the patient or injecting naked DNA into a site in the patient and the DNA is taken up by a percentage of cells in which the gene product protein is expressed. Additionally, the other methods described herein, such as use of a “gene gun,” may be used for in vitro insertion of anti-angiogenic chimeric proteins DNA or anti-angiogenic chimeric proteins regulatory sequences.  
         [0054]    Chemical methods of gene therapy may involve a lipid based compound, not necessarily a liposome, to transfer the DNA across the cell membrane. Lipofectins or cytofectins, lipid-based positive ions that bind to negatively charged DNA, make a complex that can cross the cell membrane and provide the DNA into the interior of the cell. Another chemical method uses receptor-based endocytosis, which involves binding a specific ligand to a cell surface receptor and enveloping and transporting it across the cell membrane. The ligand binds to the DNA and the whole complex is transported into the cell. The ligand gene complex is injected into the blood stream and then target cells that have the receptor will specifically bind the ligand and transport the ligand-DNA complex into the cell.  
         [0055]    Many gene therapy methodologies employ viral vectors to insert genes into cells. For example, altered retrovirus vectors have been used in ex vivo methods to introduce genes into peripheral and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, hepatocytes, epidermal cells, myocytes, or other somatic cells. These altered cells are then introduced into the patient to provide the gene product from the inserted DNA.  
         [0056]    Viral vectors have also been used to insert genes into cells using in vivo protocols. To direct the tissue-specific expression of foreign genes, cis-acting regulatory elements or promoters that are known to be tissue-specific can be used. Alternatively, this can be achieved using in situ delivery of DNA or viral vectors to specific anatomical sites in vivo. For example, gene transfer to blood vessels in vivo was achieved by implanting in vitro transduced endothelial cells in chosen sites on arterial walls. The virus infected surrounding cells which also expressed the gene product. A viral vector can be delivered directly to the in vivo site, by a catheter for example, thus allowing only certain areas to be infected by the virus, and providing long-term, site specific gene expression. In vivo gene transfer using retrovirus vectors has also been demonstrated in mammary tissue and hepatic tissue by injection of the altered virus into blood vessels leading to the organs.  
         [0057]    Viral vectors that have been used for gene therapy protocols include but are not limited to, retroviruses, other RNA viruses such as poliovirus or Sindbis virus, adenovirus, adeno-associated virus, herpes viruses, SV40, vaccinia and other DNA viruses. Replication-defective murine retroviral vectors have been widely utilized gene transfer vectors.  
         [0058]    Carrier mediated gene transfer in vivo can be used to transfect foreign DNA into cells. The carrier-DNA complex can be conveniently introduced into body fluids or the bloodstream and then site-specifically directed to the target organ or tissue in the body. Both liposomes and polycations, such as polylysine, lipofectins or cytofectins, can be used. Liposomes can be developed which are cell specific or organ specific and thus the foreign DNA carried by the liposome will be taken up by target cells. Injection of immunoliposomes that are targeted to a specific receptor on certain cells can be used as a convenient method of inserting the DNA into the cells bearing the receptor. Another carrier system that has been used is the asialoglycoprotein/polylysine conjugate system for carrying DNA to hepatocytes for in vivo gene transfer.  
         [0059]    The gene therapy protocol for transfecting anti-angiogenic chimeric proteins into a patient may either be through integration of a gene encoding an anti-angiogenic chimeric protein into the genome of the cells, into minichromosomes or as a separate replicating or non-replicating DNA construct in the cytoplasm or nucleoplasm of the cell. Anti-angiogenic chimeric proteins expression may continue for a long-period of time or may be reinjected periodically to maintain a desired level of the anti-angiogenic chimeric proteins protein in the cell, the tissue or organ or a determined blood level.  
       EXAMPLES  
     Example 1  
     Construction of COMP/TSP- 1  and COMP/TSP- 2   
       [0060]    The chimeric expression vectors have been produced from three distinct cDNAs. The first is a clone for human cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) and was isolated from a λgtll chondrocyte cDNA library (Doege, K. J, et al.,  J. Biol. Chem.  266:894-902 (1991)). This is an almost full-length clone for the COMP mRNA that only lacks a small region of the  5 ′-untranslated region. This clone (hCOMP-95) was used previously to determine the sequence of human COMP (GenBank Accession No. L32137; Genomics, 24:435-439 (1994)).  
         [0061]    The second cDNA was produced using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with the human thrombospondin- 1  (TSP- 1 ) gene as the template. The TSP- 1  clones were isolated from a human endothelial cell library ( J. Cell Biol.  103:1635-1648 (1986)). The forward primer (GAT GAC GTC GAT GGT GGC TGG AGC CAC) (SEQ ID NO: 17) and the reverse primer (GAT CTA GAT TGG ACA GTC CTG CTT G) (SEQ ID NO: 18) produce a PCR product that is approximately 354 basepairs in size and has an Aat II restriction endonuclease site at the 5′ end and an Xba I restriction endonuclease site at the 3′ end. The PCR product encodes amino acids 417 to 530 and includes the second and third type  1  repeats of TSP- 1  (see FIG. 1 for the numbering of amino acids in TSP- 1 ). The coding sequence for the first type  1  repeat was not included in the PCR product, by design, because it contains an RFK sequence that has been shown to activate TGF-β. This activity is not required to inhibit angiogenesis and it may produce unwanted secondary effects on numerous cell types. Vectors that include the first type  1  repeat can be constructed, using the same approach, if this region is found to enhance the antiangiogenic activity or other activities.  
         [0062]    The third cDNA was produced by PCR with a human heart cDNA library (catalog no. 936208 from Stratagene, LaJolla, Calif.) as the template. The forward primer (GAT GAC GTC GAG GAG GGC TGG TCT CCG) (SEQ ID NO: 19) and the reverse primer (GAT CTA GAC ACG GGG CAG CTC CTC TTG) (SEQ ID NO: 20) produced a PCR product that is approximately 520 base pairs in size and has an Aat II restriction endonuclease site at the 5′ end and an Xba I restriction endonuclease site at the 3′ end. The PCR product codes for amino acids 381 to 550 of TSP- 2  and, includes all three type  1  repeats of TSP- 2  (see FIG. 2 for numbering of amino acids in TSP- 2 ). The sequence of the PCR primers was based on the human TSP- 2  sequence in the GenBank database (Accession No. L12350). The sequences of the PCR products were determined to establish that mutations that affect the amino acid sequence had not been introduced during the PCR.  
         [0063]    The COMP/TSP- 1  and COMP-TSP- 2  expression vectors were constructed by cutting the PCR products with Aat II and Xba I and subcloning them into the COMP cDNA vector [derived from Bluescript (Stratagene, La Jolla, Calif.)] cut with the same enzymes. The portion of COMP that was retained includes the signal sequence, the regions required for pentamerization and the first type  2  repeat (amino acids 1 to 128 on the enclosed sequence; FIG. 3). Since there was an internal Aat II site in the TSP- 2  PCR product, it had to be cloned into the vector in two steps. A 430 basepair Aat II/Xba I fragment of the TSP- 2  PCR product was subcloned into the vector containing the portion of COMP as a first step. The resulting subclone was cut with Aat II, and a 90 base pair Aat II fragment of the PCR product was ligated into the expression vector. The final forms of the cDNAs were confirmed to have the predicted structure by nucleotide sequencing. They were then cut with Eco R1 and Xba I and ligated into the pcDNA 3.1 (Invitrogen; Carlsbad, Calif.) vector cut with the same enzymes. The DNA sequences of COMP/TSP-  1  and COMP/TSP- 2  are shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B and FIGS. 5A and 5B, respectively. The predicted molecular weights of the subunits of COMP/TSP- 1  and COMP/TSP- 2  should be approximately 24,200 and 30,000, respectively. The fully assembled COMP/TSP- 1  and COMP/TSP- 2  proteins should be 121,000 Da and 150,000 Da, respectively. The amino acid sequences of these proteins are shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B and FIGS. 5A and 5B, respectively.  
       Example 2  
     Production of Isolated COMP/TSP- 1  and COMP/TSP- 2   
       [0064]    To express these chimeric proteins, the expression vectors can be transfected into human kidney 293 cells using the Lipofectin protocol (Gibco Laboratories). The cells can be selected with Zeocin and individual clones can be grown. The secretion of COMP/TSP- 1  and COMP/TSP- 2  can be monitored with western blotting using polyclonal antibodies to the region of COMP that is present in both expressed proteins. These antibodies have been produced by immunizing rabbits with a synthetically produced peptide, having an amino acid sequence derived from the N-terminal end of COMP, linked to a carrier protein. The amino acid sequence of the peptide is: SDLGPQMLRELQETN (SEQ ID NO: 21). A clone that expresses high levels of the protein can be grown in large volume flasks and in serum free media.  
       Example 3  
     Inhibition of Tumor Growth by COMP/TSP- 1   
       [0065]    A cDNA of thrombospondin- 1  (TSP- 1 ) containing the second and third type- 1  repeats and the COMP assembly sequence (COMP/TSP- 1 ) was produced by PCR using constructs derived as above as template, and was cloned into the expression vector pNeo (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, Calif.). Both the resulting COMP/TSP- 1  construct and the unaltered vector alone were transfected into the human squamous carcinoma cell line A431 (Streit, M., et al.,  American Journal of Pathology  155:441-452, 1999), and positive clones were selected using Geneticin at a concentration of 800 μg/ml. The growth curves of positive clones were determined over an 8 day period. Clones of pNeo- and COMP/TSP- 1  construct-transfected cells that had similar growth curves were selected to test the effect of the chimeric protein on tumor growth in nude mice. A total of five mice pre group were injected intradermally at the shoulders with 5×10 6  cells per site, two sites per mouse. Every week the tumors were measured with calipers. At three weeks, the mice were sacrificed and the tumors were removed for further studies. As can be seen from FIG. 7, expression of COMP/TSP- 1  caused inhibition of the growth of the tumors in this model.  
         [0066]    All references (e.g., journal articles, books, published patent applications and patents, etc.) cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference.  
         [0067]    While this invention has been particularly shown and described with references to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.  
     
       
       
         1 
         
           
             21  
           
           
             1  
             1152  
             PRT  
             Homo sapiens  
           
            1 

Asn Arg Ile Pro Glu Ser Gly Gly Asp Asn Ser Val Phe Asp Ile Phe 
 1               5                  10                  15 

Glu Leu Thr Gly Ala Ala Arg Lys Gly Ser Gly Arg Arg Leu Val Lys 
            20                  25                  30 

Gly Pro Asp Pro Ser Ser Pro Ala Phe Arg Ile Glu Asp Ala Asn Leu 
        35                  40                  45 

Ile Pro Pro Val Pro Asp Asp Lys Phe Gln Asp Leu Val Asp Ala Val 
    50                  55                  60 

Arg Thr Glu Lys Gly Phe Leu Leu Leu Ala Ser Leu Arg Gln Met Lys 
65                  70                  75                  80 

Lys Thr Arg Gly Thr Leu Leu Ala Leu Glu Arg Lys Asp His Ser Gly 
                85                  90                  95 

Gln Val Phe Ser Val Val Ser Asn Gly Lys Ala Gly Thr Leu Asp Leu 
            100                 105                 110 

Ser Leu Thr Val Gln Gly Lys Gln His Val Val Ser Val Glu Glu Ala 
        115                 120                 125 

Leu Leu Ala Thr Gly Gln Trp Lys Ser Ile Thr Leu Phe Val Gln Glu 
    130                 135                 140 

Asp Arg Ala Gln Leu Tyr Ile Asp Cys Glu Lys Met Glu Asn Ala Glu 
145                 150                 155                 160 

Leu Asp Val Pro Ile Gln Ser Val Phe Thr Arg Asp Leu Ala Ser Ile 
                165                 170                 175 

Ala Arg Leu Arg Ile Ala Lys Gly Gly Val Asn Asp Asn Phe Gln Gly 
            180                 185                 190 

Val Leu Gln Asn Val Arg Phe Val Phe Gly Thr Thr Pro Glu Asp Ile 
        195                 200                 205 

Leu Arg Asn Lys Gly Cys Ser Ser Ser Thr Ser Val Leu Leu Thr Leu 
    210                 215                 220 

Asp Asn Asn Val Val Asn Gly Ser Ser Pro Ala Ile Arg Thr Asn Tyr 
225                 230                 235                 240 

Ile Gly His Lys Thr Lys Asp Leu Gln Ala Ile Cys Gly Ile Ser Cys 
                245                 250                 255 

Asp Glu Leu Ser Ser Met Val Leu Glu Leu Arg Gly Leu Arg Thr Ile 
            260                 265                 270 

Val Thr Thr Leu Gln Asp Ser Ile Arg Lys Val Thr Glu Glu Asn Lys 
        275                 280                 285 

Glu Leu Ala Asn Glu Leu Arg Arg Pro Pro Leu Cys Tyr His Asn Gly 
    290                 295                 300 

Val Gln Tyr Arg Asn Asn Glu Glu Trp Thr Val Asp Ser Cys Thr Glu 
305                 310                 315                 320 

Cys His Cys Gln Asn Ser Val Thr Ile Cys Lys Lys Val Ser Cys Pro 
                325                 330                 335 

Ile Met Pro Cys Ser Asn Ala Thr Val Pro Asp Gly Glu Cys Cys Pro 
            340                 345                 350 

Arg Cys Trp Pro Ser Asp Ser Ala Asp Asp Gly Trp Ser Pro Trp Ser 
        355                 360                 365 

Glu Trp Thr Ser Cys Ser Thr Ser Cys Gly Asn Gly Ile Gln Gln Arg 
    370                 375                 380 

Gly Arg Ser Cys Asp Ser Leu Asn Asn Arg Cys Glu Gly Ser Ser Val 
385                 390                 395                 400 

Gln Thr Arg Thr Cys His Ile Gln Glu Cys Asp Lys Arg Phe Lys Gln 
                405                 410                 415 

Asp Gly Gly Trp Ser His Trp Ser Pro Trp Ser Ser Cys Ser Val Thr 
            420                 425                 430 

Cys Gly Asp Gly Val Ile Thr Arg Ile Arg Leu Cys Asn Ser Pro Ser 
        435                 440                 445 

Pro Gln Met Asn Gly Lys Pro Cys Glu Gly Glu Ala Arg Glu Thr Lys 
    450                 455                 460 

Ala Cys Lys Lys Asp Ala Cys Pro Ile Asn Gly Gly Trp Gly Pro Trp 
465                 470                 475                 480 

Ser Pro Trp Asp Ile Cys Ser Val Thr Cys Gly Gly Gly Val Gln Lys 
                485                 490                 495 

Arg Ser Arg Leu Cys Asn Asn Pro Thr Pro Gln Phe Gly Gly Lys Asp 
            500                 505                 510 

Cys Val Gly Asp Val Thr Glu Asn Gln Ile Cys Asn Lys Gln Asp Cys 
        515                 520                 525 

Pro Ile Asp Gly Cys Leu Ser Asn Pro Cys Phe Ala Gly Val Lys Cys 
    530                 535                 540 

Thr Ser Tyr Pro Asp Gly Ser Trp Lys Cys Gly Ala Cys Pro Pro Gly 
545                 550                 555                 560 

Tyr Ser Gly Asn Gly Ile Gln Cys Thr Asp Val Asp Glu Cys Lys Glu 
                565                 570                 575 

Val Pro Asp Ala Cys Phe Asn His Asn Gly Glu His Arg Cys Glu Asn 
            580                 585                 590 

Thr Asp Pro Gly Tyr Asn Cys Leu Pro Cys Pro Pro Arg Phe Thr Gly 
        595                 600                 605 

Ser Gln Pro Phe Gly Gln Gly Val Glu His Ala Thr Ala Asn Lys Gln 
    610                 615                 620 

Val Cys Lys Pro Arg Asn Pro Cys Thr Asp Gly Thr His Asp Cys Asn 
625                 630                 635                 640 

Lys Asn Ala Lys Cys Asn Tyr Leu Gly His Tyr Ser Asp Pro Met Tyr 
                645                 650                 655 

Arg Cys Glu Cys Lys Pro Gly Tyr Ala Gly Asn Gly Ile Ile Cys Gly 
            660                 665                 670 

Glu Asp Thr Asp Leu Asp Gly Trp Pro Asn Glu Asn Leu Val Cys Val 
        675                 680                 685 

Ala Asn Ala Thr Tyr His Cys Lys Lys Asp Asn Cys Pro Asn Leu Pro 
    690                 695                 700 

Asn Ser Gly Gln Glu Asp Tyr Asp Lys Asp Gly Ile Gly Asp Ala Cys 
705                 710                 715                 720 

Asp Asp Asp Asp Asp Asn Asp Lys Ile Pro Asp Asp Arg Asp Asn Cys 
                725                 730                 735 

Pro Phe His Tyr Asn Pro Ala Gln Tyr Asp Tyr Asp Arg Asp Asp Val 
            740                 745                 750 

Gly Asp Arg Cys Asp Asn Cys Pro Tyr Asn His Asn Pro Asp Gln Ala 
        755                 760                 765 

Asp Thr Asp Asn Asn Gly Glu Gly Asp Ala Cys Ala Ala Asp Ile Asp 
    770                 775                 780 

Gly Asp Gly Ile Leu Asn Glu Arg Asp Asn Cys Gln Tyr Val Tyr Asn 
785                 790                 795                 800 

Val Asp Gln Arg Asp Thr Asp Met Asp Gly Val Gly Asp Gln Cys Asp 
                805                 810                 815 

Asn Cys Pro Leu Glu His Asn Pro Asp Gln Leu Asp Ser Asp Ser Asp 
            820                 825                 830 

Arg Ile Gly Asp Thr Cys Asp Asn Asn Gln Asp Ile Asp Glu Asp Gly 
        835                 840                 845 

His Gln Asn Asn Leu Asp Asn Cys Pro Tyr Val Pro Asn Ala Asn Gln 
    850                 855                 860 

Ala Asp His Asp Lys Asp Gly Lys Gly Asp Ala Cys Asp His Asp Asp 
865                 870                 875                 880 

Asp Asn Asp Gly Ile Pro Asp Asp Lys Asp Asn Cys Arg Leu Val Pro 
                885                 890                 895 

Asn Pro Asp Gln Lys Asp Ser Asp Gly Asp Gly Arg Gly Asp Ala Cys 
            900                 905                 910 

Lys Asp Asp Phe Asp His Asp Ser Val Pro Asp Ile Asp Asp Ile Cys 
        915                 920                 925 

Pro Glu Asn Val Asp Ile Ser Glu Thr Asp Phe Arg Arg Phe Gln Met 
    930                 935                 940 

Ile Pro Leu Asp Pro Lys Gly Thr Ser Gln Asn Asp Pro Asn Trp Val 
945                 950                 955                 960 

Val Arg His Gln Gly Lys Glu Leu Val Gln Thr Val Asn Cys Asp Pro 
                965                 970                 975 

Gly Leu Ala Val Gly Tyr Asp Glu Phe Asn Ala Val Asp Phe Ser Gly 
            980                 985                 990 

Thr Phe Phe Ile Asn Thr Glu Arg Asp Asp Asp Tyr Ala Gly Phe Val 
        995                 1000                1005 

Phe Gly Tyr Gln Ser Ser Ser Arg Phe Tyr Val Val Met Trp Lys Gln 
    1010                1015                1020 

Val Thr Gln Ser Tyr Trp Asp Thr Asn Pro Thr Arg Ala Gln Gly Tyr 
1025                1030                1035                1040 

Ser Gly Leu Ser Val Lys Val Val Asn Ser Thr Thr Gly Pro Gly Glu 
                1045                1050                1055 

His Leu Arg Asn Ala Leu Trp His Thr Gly Asn Thr Pro Gly Gln Val 
            1060                1065                1070 

Arg Thr Leu Trp His Asp Pro Arg His Ile Gly Trp Lys Asp Phe Thr 
        1075                1080                1085 

Ala Tyr Arg Trp Arg Leu Ser His Arg Pro Lys Thr Gly Phe Ile Arg 
    1090                1095                1100 

Val Val Met Tyr Glu Gly Lys Lys Ile Met Ala Asp Ser Gly Pro Ile 
1105                1110                1115                1120 

Tyr Asp Lys Thr Tyr Ala Gly Gly Arg Leu Gly Leu Phe Val Phe Ser 
                1125                1130                1135 

Gln Glu Met Val Phe Phe Ser Asp Leu Lys Tyr Glu Cys Arg Asp Pro 
            1140                1145                1150 

 
           
             2  
             1168  
             PRT  
             Homo sapiens  
           
            2 

Met Val Trp Arg Leu Val Leu Leu Ala Leu Trp Val Trp Pro Ser Thr 
 1               5                  10                  15 

Gln Ala Gly His Gln Asp Lys Asp Thr Thr Phe Asp Leu Phe Ser Ile 
            20                  25                  30 

Ser Asn Ile Asn Arg Lys Thr Ile Gly Ala Lys Gln Phe Arg Gly Pro 
        35                  40                  45 

Asp Pro Gly Val Pro Ala Tyr Arg Phe Val Arg Phe Asp Tyr Ile Pro 
    50                  55                  60 

Pro Val Asn Ala Asp Asp Leu Ser Lys Ile Thr Lys Ile Met Arg Gln 
65                  70                  75                  80 

Lys Glu Gly Phe Phe Leu Thr Ala Gln Leu Lys Gln Asp Gly Lys Ser 
                85                  90                  95 

Arg Gly Thr Leu Leu Ala Leu Glu Gly Pro Gly Leu Ser Gln Arg Gln 
            100                 105                 110 

Phe Glu Ile Val Ser Asn Gly Pro Ala Asp Thr Leu Asp Leu Thr Tyr 
        115                 120                 125 

Trp Ile Asp Gly Thr Arg His Val Val Ser Leu Glu Asp Val Gly Leu 
    130                 135                 140 

Ala Asp Ser Gln Trp Lys Asn Val Thr Val Gln Val Ala Gly Glu Thr 
145                 150                 155                 160 

Tyr Ser Leu His Val Gly Cys Asp Leu Ile Gly Pro Val Ala Leu Asp 
                165                 170                 175 

Glu Pro Phe Tyr Glu His Leu Gln Ala Glu Lys Ser Arg Met Tyr Val 
            180                 185                 190 

Ala Lys Gly Ser Ala Arg Glu Ser His Phe Arg Gly Leu Leu Gln Asn 
        195                 200                 205 

Val His Leu Val Phe Glu Asn Ser Val Glu Asp Ile Leu Ser Lys Lys 
    210                 215                 220 

Gly Cys Gln Gln Gly Gln Gly Ala Glu Ile Asn Ala Ile Ser Glu Asn 
225                 230                 235                 240 

Thr Glu Thr Leu Arg Leu Gly Pro His Val Thr Thr Glu Tyr Val Gly 
                245                 250                 255 

Pro Ser Ser Glu Arg Arg Pro Glu Val Cys Glu Arg Ser Cys Glu Glu 
            260                 265                 270 

Leu Gly Asn Met Val Gln Glu Leu Ser Gly Leu His Val Leu Val Asn 
        275                 280                 285 

Gln Leu Ser Glu Asn Leu Lys Arg Val Ser Asn Asp Asn Gln Phe Leu 
    290                 295                 300 

Trp Glu Leu Ile Gly Gly Pro Pro Lys Thr Arg Asn Met Ser Ala Cys 
305                 310                 315                 320 

Trp Gln Asp Gly Arg Phe Phe Ala Glu Asn Glu Thr Trp Val Val Asp 
                325                 330                 335 

Ser Cys Thr Thr Cys Thr Cys Lys Lys Phe Lys Thr Ile Cys His Gln 
            340                 345                 350 

Ile Thr Cys Pro Pro Ala Thr Cys Asp Ser Phe Val Glu Gly Glu Cys 
        355                 360                 365 

Cys Pro Ser Cys Leu His Ser Val Asp Gly Glu Glu Gly Trp Ser Pro 
    370                 375                 380 

Trp Ala Glu Trp Thr Gln Cys Ser Val Thr Cys Gly Ser Gly Thr Gln 
385                 390                 395                 400 

Gln Arg Gly Arg Ser Cys Asp Val Thr Ser Asn Thr Cys Leu Gly Pro 
                405                 410                 415 

Ser Ile Gln Thr Arg Ala Cys Ser Leu Ser Lys Cys Asp Thr Arg Ile 
            420                 425                 430 

Arg Gln Asp Gly Gly Trp Ser His Trp Ser Pro Trp Ser Ser Cys Ser 
        435                 440                 445 

Val Thr Cys Gly Val Gly Asn Ile Thr Arg Ile Arg Leu Cys Asn Ser 
    450                 455                 460 

Pro Val Pro Gln Met Gly Gly Lys Asn Cys Lys Gly Ser Gly Arg Glu 
465                 470                 475                 480 

Thr Lys Ala Cys Gln Gly Ala Pro Cys Pro Ile Asp Gly Arg Trp Ser 
                485                 490                 495 

Pro Trp Ser Pro Trp Ser Ala Cys Thr Val Thr Cys Ala Gly Gly Ile 
            500                 505                 510 

Arg Glu Arg Thr Arg Val Cys Asn Ser Pro Glu Pro Gln Tyr Gly Gly 
        515                 520                 525 

Lys Ala Cys Val Gly Asp Val Gln Glu Arg Gln Met Cys Asn Lys Arg 
    530                 535                 540 

Ser Cys Pro Val Asp Gly Cys Leu Ser Asn Pro Cys Phe Pro Gly Ala 
545                 550                 555                 560 

Gln Cys Ser Ser Phe Pro Asp Gly Ser Trp Ser Cys Gly Phe Cys Pro 
                565                 570                 575 

Val Gly Phe Leu Gly Asn Gly Thr His Cys Glu Asp Leu Asp Glu Cys 
            580                 585                 590 

Ala Leu Val Pro Asp Ile Cys Phe Ser Thr Ser Lys Val Pro Arg Cys 
        595                 600                 605 

Val Asn Thr Gln Pro Gly Phe His Cys Leu Pro Cys Pro Pro Arg Tyr 
    610                 615                 620 

Arg Gly Asn Gln Pro Val Gly Val Gly Leu Glu Ala Ala Lys Thr Glu 
625                 630                 635                 640 

Lys Gln Val Cys Glu Pro Glu Asn Pro Cys Lys Asp Lys Thr His Asn 
                645                 650                 655 

Cys His Lys His Ala Glu Cys Ile Tyr Leu Gly His Phe Ser Asp Pro 
            660                 665                 670 

Met Tyr Lys Cys Glu Cys Gln Thr Gly Tyr Ala Gly Asp Gly Leu Ile 
        675                 680                 685 

Cys Gly Glu Asp Ser Asp Leu Asp Gly Trp Pro Asn Leu Asn Leu Val 
    690                 695                 700 

Cys Ala Thr Asn Ala Thr Tyr His Cys Ile Lys Asp Asn Cys Pro His 
705                 710                 715                 720 

Leu Pro Asn Ser Gly Gln Glu Asp Phe Asp Lys Asp Gly Ile Gly Asp 
                725                 730                 735 

Ala Cys Asp Asp Asp Asp Asp Asn Asp Gly Val Thr Asp Glu Lys Asp 
            740                 745                 750 

Asn Cys Gln Leu Leu Phe Asn Pro Arg Gln Ala Asp Tyr Asp Lys Asp 
        755                 760                 765 

Glu Val Gly Asp Arg Cys Asp Asn Cys Pro Tyr Val His Asn Pro Ala 
    770                 775                 780 

Gln Ile Asp Thr Asp Asn Asn Gly Glu Gly Asp Ala Cys Ser Val Asp 
785                 790                 795                 800 

Ile Asp Gly Asp Asp Val Phe Asn Glu Arg Asp Asn Cys Pro Tyr Val 
                805                 810                 815 

Tyr Asn Thr Asp Gln Arg Asp Thr Asp Gly Asp Gly Val Gly Asp His 
            820                 825                 830 

Cys Asp Asn Cys Pro Leu Val His Asn Pro Asp Gln Thr Asp Val Asp 
        835                 840                 845 

Asn Asp Leu Val Gly Asp Gln Cys Asp Asn Asn Glu Asp Ile Asp Asp 
    850                 855                 860 

Asp Gly His Gln Asn Asn Gln Asp Asn Cys Pro Tyr Ile Ser Asn Ala 
865                 870                 875                 880 

Asn Gln Ala Asp His Asp Arg Asp Gly Gln Gly Asp Ala Cys Asp Pro 
                885                 890                 895 

Asp Asp Asp Asn Asp Gly Val Pro Asp Asp Arg Asp Asn Cys Arg Leu 
            900                 905                 910 

Val Phe Asn Pro Asp Gln Glu Asp Leu Asp Gly Asp Gly Arg Gly Asp 
        915                 920                 925 

Ile Cys Lys Asp Asp Phe Asp Asn Asp Asn Ile Pro Asp Ile Asp Asp 
    930                 935                 940 

Val Cys Pro Glu Asn Asn Ala Ile Ser Glu Thr Asp Phe Arg Asn Phe 
945                 950                 955                 960 

Gln Met Val Pro Leu Asp Pro Lys Gly Thr Thr Gln Ile Asp Pro Asn 
                965                 970                 975 

Trp Val Ile Arg His Gln Gly Lys Glu Leu Val Gln Thr Ala Asn Ser 
            980                 985                 990 

Asp Pro Gly Ile Ala Val Gly Phe Asp Glu Phe Gly Ser Val Asp Phe 
        995                 1000                1005 

Ser Gly Thr Phe Tyr Val Asn Thr Asp Arg Asp Asp Asp Tyr Ala Gly 
    1010                1015                1020 

Phe Val Phe Gly Tyr Gln Ser Ser Ser Arg Phe Tyr Val Val Met Trp 
1025                1030                1035                1040 

Lys Gln Val Thr Gln Thr Tyr Trp Glu Asp Gln Pro Thr Arg Ala Tyr 
                1045                1050                1055 

Gly Tyr Ser Gly Val Ser Leu Lys Val Val Asn Ser Thr Thr Gly Thr 
            1060                1065                1070 

Gly Glu His Leu Arg Asn Ala Leu Trp His Thr Gly Asn Thr Pro Gly 
        1075                1080                1085 

Gln Val Arg Thr Leu Trp His Asp Pro Arg Asn Ile Gly Trp Lys Asp 
    1090                1095                1100 

Tyr Thr Ala Tyr Arg Trp His Leu Thr Pro Lys Thr Gly Tyr Ile Arg 
1105                1110                1115                1120 

Val Leu Val His Glu Gly Lys Gln Val Met Ala Asp Ser Gly Pro Ile 
                1125                1130                1135 

Tyr Asp Gln Thr Tyr Ala Gly Gly Arg Leu Gly Leu Phe Val Phe Ser 
            1140                1145                1150 

Gln Glu Met Val Tyr Phe Ser Asp Leu Lys Tyr Glu Cys Arg Asp Ile 
        1155                1160                1165 

 
           
             3  
             757  
             PRT  
             Homo sapiens  
           
            3 

Met Val Pro Asp Thr Ala Cys Val Leu Leu Leu Thr Leu Ala Ala Leu 
 1               5                  10                  15 

Gly Ala Ser Gly Gln Gly Gln Ser Pro Leu Gly Ser Asp Leu Gly Pro 
            20                  25                  30 

Gln Met Leu Arg Glu Leu Gln Glu Thr Asn Ala Ala Leu Gln Asp Val 
        35                  40                  45 

Arg Asp Trp Leu Arg Gln Gln Val Arg Glu Ile Thr Phe Leu Lys Asn 
    50                  55                  60 

Thr Val Met Glu Cys Asp Ala Cys Gly Met Gln Gln Ser Val Arg Thr 
65                  70                  75                  80 

Gly Leu Pro Ser Val Arg Pro Leu Leu His Cys Ala Pro Gly Phe Cys 
                85                  90                  95 

Phe Pro Gly Val Ala Cys Ile Gln Thr Glu Ser Gly Gly Arg Cys Gly 
            100                 105                 110 

Pro Cys Pro Ala Gly Phe Thr Gly Asn Gly Ser His Cys Thr Asp Val 
        115                 120                 125 

Asn Glu Cys Asn Ala His Pro Cys Phe Pro Arg Val Arg Cys Ile Asn 
    130                 135                 140 

Thr Ser Pro Gly Phe Arg Cys Glu Ala Cys Pro Pro Gly Tyr Ser Gly 
145                 150                 155                 160 

Pro Thr His Gln Gly Val Gly Leu Ala Phe Ala Lys Ala Asn Lys Gln 
                165                 170                 175 

Val Cys Thr Asp Ile Asn Glu Cys Glu Thr Gly Gln His Asn Cys Val 
            180                 185                 190 

Pro Asn Ser Val Cys Ile Asn Thr Arg Gly Ser Phe Gln Cys Gly Pro 
        195                 200                 205 

Cys Gln Pro Gly Phe Val Gly Asp Gln Ala Ser Gly Cys Gln Arg Gly 
    210                 215                 220 

Ala Gln Arg Phe Cys Pro Asp Gly Ser Pro Ser Glu Cys His Glu His 
225                 230                 235                 240 

Ala Asp Cys Val Leu Glu Arg Asp Gly Ser Arg Ser Cys Val Cys Arg 
                245                 250                 255 

Val Gly Trp Ala Gly Asn Gly Ile Leu Cys Gly Arg Asp Thr Asp Leu 
            260                 265                 270 

Asp Gly Phe Pro Asp Glu Lys Leu Arg Cys Pro Glu Pro Gln Cys Arg 
        275                 280                 285 

Lys Asp Asn Cys Val Thr Val Pro Asn Ser Gly Gln Glu Asp Val Asp 
    290                 295                 300 

Arg Asp Gly Ile Gly Asp Ala Cys Asp Pro Asp Ala Asp Gly Asp Gly 
305                 310                 315                 320 

Val Pro Asn Glu Lys Asp Asn Cys Pro Leu Val Arg Asn Pro Asp Gln 
                325                 330                 335 

Arg Asn Thr Asp Glu Asp Lys Trp Gly Asp Ala Cys Asp Asn Cys Arg 
            340                 345                 350 

Ser Gln Lys Asn Asp Asp Gln Lys Asp Thr Asp Gln Asp Gly Arg Gly 
        355                 360                 365 

Asp Ala Cys Asp Asp Asp Ile Asp Gly Asp Arg Ile Arg Asn Gln Ala 
    370                 375                 380 

Asp Asn Cys Pro Arg Val Pro Asn Ser Asp Gln Lys Asp Ser Asp Gly 
385                 390                 395                 400 

Asp Gly Ile Gly Asp Ala Cys Asp Asn Cys Pro Gln Lys Ser Asn Pro 
                405                 410                 415 

Asp Gln Ala Asp Val Asp His Asp Phe Val Gly Asp Ala Cys Asp Ser 
            420                 425                 430 

Asp Gln Asp Gln Asp Gly Asp Gly His Gln Asp Ser Arg Asp Asn Cys 
        435                 440                 445 

Pro Thr Val Pro Asn Ser Ala Gln Glu Asp Ser Asp His Asp Gly Gln 
    450                 455                 460 

Gly Asp Ala Cys Asp Asp Asp Asp Asp Asn Asp Gly Val Pro Asp Ser 
465                 470                 475                 480 

Arg Asp Asn Cys Arg Leu Val Pro Asn Pro Gly Gln Glu Asp Ala Asp 
                485                 490                 495 

Arg Asp Gly Val Gly Asp Val Cys Gln Asp Asp Phe Asp Ala Asp Lys 
            500                 505                 510 

Val Val Asp Lys Ile Asp Val Cys Pro Glu Asn Ala Glu Val Thr Leu 
        515                 520                 525 

Thr Asp Phe Arg Ala Phe Gln Thr Val Val Leu Asp Pro Glu Gly Asp 
    530                 535                 540 

Ala Gln Ile Asp Pro Asn Trp Val Val Leu Asn Gln Gly Arg Glu Ile 
545                 550                 555                 560 

Val Gln Thr Met Asn Ser Asp Pro Gly Leu Ala Val Gly Tyr Thr Ala 
                565                 570                 575 

Phe Asn Gly Val Asp Phe Glu Gly Thr Phe His Val Asn Thr Val Thr 
            580                 585                 590 

Asp Asp Asp Tyr Ala Gly Phe Ile Phe Gly Tyr Gln Asp Ser Ser Ser 
        595                 600                 605 

Phe Tyr Val Val Met Trp Lys Gln Met Glu Gln Thr Tyr Trp Gln Ala 
    610                 615                 620 

Asn Pro Phe Arg Ala Val Ala Glu Pro Gly Ile Gln Leu Lys Ala Val 
625                 630                 635                 640 

Lys Ser Ser Thr Gly Pro Gly Glu Gln Leu Arg Asn Ala Leu Trp His 
                645                 650                 655 

Thr Gly Asp Thr Glu Ser Gln Val Arg Leu Leu Trp Lys Asp Pro Arg 
            660                 665                 670 

Asn Val Gly Trp Lys Asp Lys Lys Ser Tyr Arg Trp Phe Leu Gln His 
        675                 680                 685 

Arg Pro Gln Val Gly Tyr Ile Arg Val Arg Phe Tyr Glu Gly Pro Glu 
    690                 695                 700 

Leu Val Ala Asp Ser Asn Val Val Leu Asp Thr Thr Met Arg Gly Gly 
705                 710                 715                 720 

Arg Leu Gly Val Phe Cys Phe Ser Gln Glu Asn Ile Ile Trp Ala Asn 
                725                 730                 735 

Leu Arg Tyr Arg Cys Asn Asp Thr Ile Pro Glu Asp Tyr Glu Thr His 
            740                 745                 750 

Gln Leu Arg Gln Ala 
        755 

 
           
             4  
             755  
             DNA  
             Artificial Sequence  
             
               fusion gene  
             
           
            4 

cagcacccag ctccccgcca ccgccatggt ccccgacacc gcctgcgttc ttctgctcac     60 

cctggctgcc ctcggcgcgt ccggacaggg ccagagcccg ttgggctcag acctgggccc    120 

gcagatgctt cgggaactgc aggaaaccaa cgcggcgctg caggacgtgc gggactggct    180 

gcggcagcag gtcagggaga tcacgttcct gaaaaacacg gtgatggagt gtgacgcgtg    240 

cgggatgcag cagtcagtac gcaccggcct acccagcgtg cggcccctgc tccactgcgc    300 

gcccggcttc tgcttccccg gcgtggcctg catccagacg gagagcggcg gccgctgcgg    360 

cccctgcccc gcgggcttca cgggcaacgg ctcgcactgc accgacgtcg atggtggctg    420 

gagccactgg tccccgtggt catcttgttc tgtgacatgt ggtgatggtg tgatcacaag    480 

gatccggctc tgcaactctc ccagccccca gatgaacggg aaaccctgtg aaggcgaagc    540 

gcgggagacc aaagcctgca agaaagacgc ctgccccatc aatggaggct ggggtccttg    600 

gtcaccatgg gacatctgtt ctgtcacctg tggaggaggg gtacagaaac gtagtcgtct    660 

ctgcaacaac cccacacccc agtttggagg caaggactgc gttggtgatg taacagaaaa    720 

ccagatctgc aacaagcagg actgtccaat ctaga                               755 

 
           
             5  
             242  
             PRT  
             Artificial Sequence  
             
               chimeric protein  
             
           
            5 

Met Val Pro Asp Thr Ala Cys Val Leu Leu Leu Thr Leu Ala Ala Leu 
 1               5                  10                  15 

Gly Ala Ser Gly Gln Gly Gln Ser Pro Leu Gly Ser Asp Leu Gly Pro 
            20                  25                  30 

Gln Met Leu Arg Glu Leu Gln Glu Thr Asn Ala Ala Leu Gln Asp Val 
        35                  40                  45 

Arg Asp Trp Leu Arg Gln Gln Val Arg Glu Ile Thr Phe Leu Lys Asn 
    50                  55                  60 

Thr Val Met Glu Cys Asp Ala Cys Gly Met Gln Gln Ser Val Arg Thr 
65                  70                  75                  80 

Gly Leu Pro Ser Val Arg Pro Leu Leu His Cys Ala Pro Gly Phe Cys 
                85                  90                  95 

Phe Pro Gly Val Ala Cys Ile Gln Thr Glu Ser Gly Gly Arg Cys Gly 
            100                 105                 110 

Pro Cys Pro Ala Gly Phe Thr Gly Asn Gly Ser His Cys Thr Asp Val 
        115                 120                 125 

Asp Gly Gly Trp Ser His Trp Ser Pro Trp Ser Ser Cys Ser Val Thr 
    130                 135                 140 

Cys Gly Asp Gly Val Ile Thr Arg Ile Arg Leu Cys Asn Ser Pro Ser 
145                 150                 155                 160 

Pro Gln Met Asn Gly Lys Pro Cys Glu Gly Glu Ala Arg Glu Thr Lys 
                165                 170                 175 

Ala Cys Lys Lys Asp Ala Cys Pro Ile Asn Gly Gly Trp Gly Pro Trp 
            180                 185                 190 

Ser Pro Trp Asp Ile Cys Ser Val Thr Cys Gly Gly Gly Val Gln Lys 
        195                 200                 205 

Arg Ser Arg Leu Cys Asn Asn Pro Thr Pro Gln Phe Gly Gly Lys Asp 
    210                 215                 220 

Cys Val Gly Asp Val Thr Glu Asn Gln Ile Cys Asn Lys Gln Asp Cys 
225                 230                 235                 240 

Pro Ile 

 
           
             6  
             925  
             DNA  
             Artificial Sequence  
             
               fusion gene  
             
           
            6 

cagcacccag ctccccgcca ccgccatggt ccccgacacc gcctgcgttc ttctgctcac     60 

cctggctgcc ctcggcgcgt ccggacaggg ccagagcccg ttgggctcag acctgggccc    120 

gcagatgctt cgggaactgc aggaaaccaa cgcggcgctg caggacgtgc gggactggct    180 

gcggcagcag gtcagggaga tcacgttcct gaaaaacacg gtgatggagt gtgacgcgtg    240 

cgggatgcag cagtcagtac gcaccggcct acccagcgtg cggcccctgc tccactgcgc    300 

gcccggcttc tgcttccccg gcgtggcctg catccagacg gagagcggcg gccgctgcgg    360 

cccctgcccc gcgggcttca cgggcaacgg ctcgcactgc accgacgtcg aggagggctg    420 

gtctccgtgg gcagagtgga cccagtgctc cgtgacgtgt ggctctggga cccagcagag    480 

aggccggtcc tgtgacgtca ccagcaacac ctgcttgggg ccctcgatcc agacacgggc    540 

ttgcagtctg agcaagtgtg acacccgcat ccggcaggac ggcggctgga gccactggtc    600 

accttggtct tcatgctctg tgacctgtgg agttggcaat atcacacgca tccgtctctg    660 

caactcccca gtgccccaga tggggggcaa gaattgcaaa gggagtggcc gggagaccaa    720 

agcctgccag ggcgccccat gcccaatcga tggccgctgg agcccctggt ccccgtggtc    780 

ggcctgcact gtcacctgtg ccggtgggat ccgggagcgc acccgggtct gcaacagccc    840 

tgagcctcag tacggaggga aggcctgcgt gggggatgtg caggagcgtc agatgtgcaa    900 

caagaggagc tgccccgtgt ctaga                                          925 

 
           
             7  
             300  
             PRT  
             Artificial Sequence  
             
               chimeric protein  
             
           
            7 

Met Val Pro Asp Thr Ala Cys Val Leu Leu Leu Thr Leu Ala Ala Leu 
 1               5                  10                  15 

Gly Ala Ser Gly Gln Gly Gln Ser Pro Leu Gly Ser Asp Leu Gly Pro 
            20                  25                  30 

Gln Met Leu Arg Glu Leu Gln Glu Thr Asn Ala Ala Leu Gln Asp Val 
        35                  40                  45 

Arg Asp Trp Leu Arg Gln Gln Val Arg Glu Ile Thr Phe Leu Lys Asn 
    50                  55                  60 

Thr Val Met Glu Cys Asp Ala Cys Gly Met Gln Gln Ser Val Arg Thr 
65                  70                  75                  80 

Gly Leu Pro Ser Val Arg Pro Leu Leu His Cys Ala Pro Gly Phe Cys 
                85                  90                  95 

Phe Pro Gly Val Ala Cys Ile Gln Thr Glu Ser Gly Gly Arg Cys Gly 
            100                 105                 110 

Pro Cys Pro Ala Gly Phe Thr Gly Asn Gly Ser His Cys Thr Asp Val 
        115                 120                 125 

Glu Glu Gly Trp Ser Pro Trp Ala Glu Trp Thr Gln Cys Ser Val Thr 
    130                 135                 140 

Cys Gly Ser Gly Thr Gln Gln Arg Gly Arg Ser Cys Asp Val Thr Ser 
145                 150                 155                 160 

Asn Thr Cys Leu Gly Pro Ser Ile Gln Thr Arg Ala Cys Ser Leu Ser 
                165                 170                 175 

Lys Cys Asp Thr Arg Ile Arg Gln Asp Gly Gly Trp Ser His Trp Ser 
            180                 185                 190 

Pro Trp Ser Ser Cys Ser Val Thr Cys Gly Val Gly Asn Ile Thr Arg 
        195                 200                 205 

Ile Arg Leu Cys Asn Ser Pro Val Pro Gln Met Gly Gly Lys Asn Cys 
    210                 215                 220 

Lys Gly Ser Gly Arg Glu Thr Lys Ala Cys Gln Gly Ala Pro Cys Pro 
225                 230                 235                 240 

Ile Asp Gly Arg Trp Ser Pro Trp Ser Pro Trp Ser Ala Cys Thr Val 
                245                 250                 255 

Thr Cys Ala Gly Gly Ile Arg Glu Arg Thr Arg Val Cys Asn Ser Pro 
            260                 265                 270 

Glu Pro Gln Tyr Gly Gly Lys Ala Cys Val Gly Asp Val Gln Glu Arg 
        275                 280                 285 

Gln Met Cys Asn Lys Arg Ser Cys Pro Val Ser Arg 
    290                 295                 300 

 
           
             8  
             7  
             PRT  
             Homo sapiens  
           
            8 

Asn Gly Val Gln Tyr Arg Asn 
 1               5 

 
           
             9  
             6  
             PRT  
             Homo sapiens  
           
            9 

Cys Ser Val Thr Cys Gly 
 1               5 

 
           
             10  
             7  
             PRT  
             Homo sapiens  
             
               VARIANT  
               3, 6  
               Xaa = Any Amino Acid  
             
           
            10 

Trp Ser Xaa Trp Ser Xaa Trp 
 1               5 

 
           
             11  
             6  
             PRT  
             Homo sapiens  
           
            11 

Gly Gly Trp Ser His Trp 
 1               5 

 
           
             12  
             19  
             PRT  
             Homo sapiens  
           
            12 

Ser Pro Trp Asp Ile Cys Ser Val Thr Cys Gly Gly Gly Val Gln Lys 
 1               5                  10                  15 

Arg Ser Arg 

 
           
             13  
             33  
             PRT  
             Homo sapiens  
             
               VARIANT  
               6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20  
               Xaa = Any Amino Acid  
             
           
            13 

Asp Val Asp Glu Cys Xaa Xaa Xaa Xaa Xaa Xaa Cys Xaa Xaa Xaa Xaa 
 1               5                  10                  15 

Xaa Xaa Xaa Xaa Cys Glu Asn Thr Asp Pro Gly Tyr Asn Cys Leu Pro 
            20                  25                  30 

Cys 

 
           
             14  
             27  
             DNA  
             Artificial Sequence  
             
               oligonucleotide  
             
           
            14 

gatgacgtca ctgaagagaa caaagag                                         27 

 
           
             15  
             22  
             DNA  
             Artificial Sequence  
             
               oligonucleotide  
             
           
            15 

gatgacgtcc acagccaccg cg                                              22 

 
           
             16  
             28  
             DNA  
             Artificial Sequence  
             
               oligonucleotide  
             
           
            16 

gattctagac tacttggagg cagtcatg                                        28 

 
           
             17  
             27  
             DNA  
             Artificial Sequence  
             
               oligonucleotide  
             
           
            17 

gatgacgtcg atggtggctg gagccac                                         27 

 
           
             18  
             25  
             DNA  
             Artificial Sequence  
             
               oligonucleotide  
             
           
            18 

gatctagatt ggacagtcct gcttg                                           25 

 
           
             19  
             27  
             DNA  
             Artificial Sequence  
             
               oligonucleotide  
             
           
            19 

gatgacgtcg aggagggctg gtctccg                                         27 

 
           
             20  
             27  
             DNA  
             Artificial Sequence  
             
               oligonucleotide  
             
           
            20 

gatctagaca cggggcagct cctcttg                                         27 

 
           
             21  
             15  
             PRT  
             Homo sapiens  
           
            21 

Ser Asp Leu Gly Pro Gln Met Leu Arg Glu Leu Gln Glu Thr Asn 
 1               5                  10                  15