VP peptides and receptors in diagnosis of breast cancer.

项目描述（由申请人提供）：本项目旨在提高乳腺癌和乳腺导管原位癌（DCIS）的诊断技术。我们的假设是，抗利尿激素（VP）相关肽和VP受体将为更好地检测、诊断和最终治疗乳腺癌和DCIS提供敏感和可靠的靶点。我们最近的数据显示，VP基因表达是所有或大多数乳腺癌和DCIS的共同特征。这种表达不仅产生表面标记物GRSA，还产生VP、VP相关糖肽（VAG）和ProVP作为潜在的疾病血液标记物。抗利尿激素受体似乎也会表达，因为VP是乳腺癌的自分泌生长因子。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant):The objective of this project is to improve diagnostic techniques for breast cancer and breast ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). The hypothesis being tested is that vasopressin (VP)-related peptides, and VP receptors will provide sensitive and reliable targets for better detection, diagnosis, and eventual treatment of breast cancer and DCIS. Our recent data show VP gene expression is a feature common to all or most breast cancers and DCIS. This expression gives rise not only to a surface marker, GRSA, but also to VP, VP-related glycopeptide (VAG) and ProVP as potential blood markers of disease. Vasopressin receptors also seem to be expressed because VP is an autocrine growth factor for breast cancer. Goals are directed towards: (i) developing effective plasma and tissue ELISA assays for detecting ductal and lobular invasive breast cancer; (ii) assessing the value of such ELISA assays for detecting residual invasive disease and possibly forecasting survival; (iii) ascertaining if the same ELISA assays can be utilized for detecting DCIS in plasma as they most probably can in tissues; and (iv) determining the distribution and abundance in breast cancer and DCIS of an abnormal VP receptor (abnV2R) that is seemingly unique to breast cancer to ascertain if it can be used as a new marker for detection and treatment of breast cancer. These investigations will employ, RIA as well as ELISA assay, RT-PCR, cloning, and DNA sequencing, immunohistochemistry, antibody generation, Western analysis with densitometric quantitation, and flow cytometry. One successful end-point of our studies would be the generation of widely available and sensitive methods for detecting and localizing disease in all, or most, individuals. Another successful end-point would be the finding that these same methods can successfully monitor current treatments, and potentially lead to new and more effective ones.