The present invention relates generally to a method for detecting an aberrant cell, and more particularly an aberrant epithelial cell, in a subject or in a biological sample from said subject and agents useful for same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of deleting an aberrant mammary epithelial cell. The presence of the aberrant cell or group of aberrant cells provides an indication of a particular disease or condition or a propensity for development of a disease or condition. More particularly, the present invention contemplates a method for detecting a cell associated with breast cancer or having a propensity to develop into a breast cancer in a subject or in a biological sample from said subject by determining the relative increase in the presence of the LM04 protein or a related protein or a relative increase in LM04 activity or a relative increase in the presence of expression products from a gene encoding the LM04 protein or a related protein. The present invention further provides a method for diagnosing the presence of a cancer or cancerous-like growth, in particular breast cancer in a subject or in a biological sample from said subject by screening for up-regulation of LM04 or a related protein in a cell or group of cells or an up-regulation in the presence of expression products of genetic sequences encoding LM04 or a related protein. The present invention provides diagnostic agents useful for detecting LM04 or expression products of genetic material encoding LM04. Such diagnostic agents include immunointeractive molecules, such as antibodies, and genetic probes for detecting expression products of LM04 genes. The present invention further provides genetically modified animals exhibiting altered levels of LM04. Such animals are useful models for screening for anti-cancer agents. The present invention still further relates generally to a method of modulating LM04 related cellular proliferation and to agents useful for same. More
