Verfahren zur Erkennung der Expression eines Hüllproteins eines endogenen humanen Retrovirus, und Anwendungen eines kodierenden Gens für dieses Protein
Detecting expression of an envelope protein (I) from an endogenous retrovirus (HERV), in cells, of a tissue or culture, by detecting syncytia formation due to the fusogenic properties of (I), is new. (I) has a 538 residue amino acid sequence (S1), fully defined in the specification, or a sequence having, for any 20 residues, at least 80, particularly 95 % identity with (S1) or its fragments. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) therapeutic and prophylactic composition containing a gene or nucleic acid (II), or their fragment, that encodes (I)； (2) an expression vector containing (II) and expression elements； (3) a host cell containing at least one vector of (2)； (4) therapeutic or prophylactic composition containing the vector of (3)； (5) a gene therapy vector containing (I)； (6) therapeutic composition containing the vector of (5), and an antisense nucleic acid or oligonucleotide, or a therapeutic gene； (7) cells that express (I)； (8) therapeutic composition containing the cells of (7)； (9) selecting agents (A) that affect the fusogenic properties of (I)； (10) a therapeutic composition containing a ligand (L) that can recognize, and bind to, the receptor for (S1) or a gene that encodes (L)； and (11) a gene therapy vector having the receptor for (S1) on its surface. ACTIVITY : Cytostatic. No biological data is given. MECHANISM OF ACTION : Destruction of cancer cells, or promoting placental development, by inducing syncytia formation.
