Mammalian hyaluronan synthases, nucleic acids and uses thereof

Chemistry: molecular biology and microbiology – Micro-organism – tissue cell culture or enzyme using process... – Preparing compound containing saccharide radical

Reexamination Certificate

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C435S183000, C435S252300, C435S320100, C435S325000, C435S101000, C536S023200

Reexamination Certificate

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06423514

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND
Hyaluronan is a constituent of the extracellular matrix of connective tissue, and is actively synthesized during wound healing and tissue repair to provide a framework for ingrowth of blood vessels and fibroblasts. Changes in the serum concentration of hyaluronan are associated with inflammatory and degenerative arthropathies such as rheumatoid arthritis. In addition, hyaluronan has been implicated as an important substrate for migration of adhesion of leukocytes during inflammation.
Hyaluronan (hyaluronic acid, HA) is a high molecular mass polysaccharide that has ubiquitous distribution in the extracellular matrix, with highest concentrations in soft connective tissue. It is a linear polysaccharide comprising alternating glucuronic acid and N-acetylglucosamine residues linked by &bgr;-1-3 and &bgr;-1-4 glycosidic bonds (Laurent, T. C. et al. (1986), “The properties and turnover of hyaluronan.” Functions of proteoglycans (
Symposium, C. F., Ed.
124, Chichester, England). By interacting with other matrix molecules, such as chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans, hyaluronan provides stability and elasticity to the extracellular matrix. Hyaluronan has several physiochemical and biological functions such as space filling, lubrication, and providing a hydrated matrix through which cells can migrate (Toole, B. P. et al.,
Hyaluronate-cell interactions.
The role of the extracellular matrix in development, (
Trelstad, R. L., Ed.,
Alan R. Liss, New York (1984); Laurent, T. C. et al.,
Faseb J.
6:2397-2404 (1992)). Interaction of hyaluronan with the leukocyte cell surface receptor CD44 has been shown to contribute to organ specific leukocyte homing and migration (Jalkanen, S. T. et al.,
J. Cell. Biol.,
105:893-990 (1987); Aruffo, A., et al.,
Cell
61:1303-1313 (1990); Culty, M. et al.,
J. Cell. Biol.,
111:2765-2774 (1990); Miyake, K. et al.,
J. Exp. Med.
172:69-75 (1990); Sherman, L. et al.,
Current opinions in Cell Biology,
6:726-733 (1994)). Hyaluronan synthesis has been suggested to be required for cellular proliferation (Brecht, M. et al.,
Biochem. J.
239:445-450 (1986); Hronowski, L. and Anastassiades, T. P.,
J. Biol. Chem.
255:9210-9217 (1980); Matuoka, K. et al.,
J. Cell Biol.
104:1105-1115 (1987); Mian, N.,
Biochem. J.
237:333-342 (1986); Tomida, M. et al.,
J. Cell Physiol.
86:121-130 (1975)), and over-expression of receptors for hyaluronan, including a receptor for hyaluronan mediated motility (RHAMM) and CD44, correlates with increased levels of tumor metastasis (Gunthert, U.,
Curr. Topics Microbiol. Immunol.
184:47-63 (1993); Hall, C. L. et al.,
Cell
82:19-28 (1995); Turley, E. A.,
Cancer and Metastasis Reviews
11:1233-1241 (1992)). Purified preparations of hyaluronan exhibit unique viscoelastic properties, and as a consequence of these characteristics have been used in viscoelastic surgery and viscosupplementation (Balazs, E. A., and Denninger, J. L., Clinical uses of hyaluronan,
The biology of hyaluronan, Ciba foundation symposium,
Wiley, Chichester, England (1989)). Hyaluronan is synthesized mainly by mesenchymal cells and the accumulation of HA is an early event in tissue repair. The serum level of hyaluronan is elevated in inflammatory settings such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, liver cirrhosis, Werner's syndrome, renal failure and psoriasis (Laurent, T. C. et al.,
Faseb J.
6:2397-2404 (1992); Laurent, T. C.
Annals of Medicine
28:in press (1996)).
Hyaluronan is synthesized by a membrane bound synthase; monosaccharide and disaccharide residues are added to the reducing end of the polysaccharide as it protrudes through the plasma membrane (Prehm, P.,
Biochem. J.
211:181-189 (1983); Prehm, P.,
Biochem. J.
220:597-600 (1984)). Regulation of hyaluronan biosynthesis has been studied in several tissue culture systems. Factors involved in tissue growth and repair such as different isoforms of platelet derived growth factor (PDGF-AA, PDGF-BB), epidermal growth factor (EGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), and transforming growth factor &bgr;(TGF-&bgr;), all exhibit stimulatory activity on hyaluronan biosynthesis (Heldin, P. et al.,
Biochem. J.
258, 919-922 (1992)).
A cDNA encoding a bacterial hyaluronan synthase has been cloned from
Streptococcus pyogenes
(hasA) (DeAngelis, J. P. et al.,
J. Biol. Chem.
268, 19181-19184 (1993)). Other related genes with N-acetylglucosaminyl transferase activity have been isolated from the nitrogen fixing bacteria Rhizobium (nodC) and chitin synthases (Chs) from Saccharomyces (DeAngelis, P. L. et al.,
Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm.
199:1-10 (1994)). A putative vertebrate homolog, (DG42), was cloned from
Xenopus laevis
and has also been speculated to be a glycosaminoglycan synthetase (Rosa, F. et al.,
Develop. Biol.
129:114-123 (1988)). To date, however, a mammalian hyaluronan synthase gene has not been identified.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to isolated and/or recombinant nucleic acids which encode a mammalian hyaluronan synthase (e.g., human). In one embodiment, the nucleic acid of the present invention comprises SEQ ID NO:1. In another embodiment, the invention relates to a nucleic acid wherein said nucleic acid hybridizes under stringent conditions with a second nucleic acid having a nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1.
The present invention also relates to a host cell comprising a nucleic acid encoding mammalian hyaluronan synthase. In a particular embodiment, the host cell comprises nucleic acid encoding mammalian hyaluronan synthase which is operably linked to an expression control sequence, whereby mammalian hyaluronan synthase is expressed when the host cell is maintained under conditions suitable for expression.
The present invention also relates to a method for producing a mammalian hyaluronan synthase comprising introducing into a host cell a nucleic acid construct comprising a nucleic acid which encodes a mammalian hyaluronan synthase, whereby a recombinant host cell is produced having said coding sequence operably linked to an (i.e., at least one) expression control sequence; and maintaining the host cells produced in a suitable medium under conditions whereby the nucleic acid is expressed.
The present invention also relates to an antibody or functional portion thereof (e.g., an antigen binding portion such as an Fv, Fab, Fab′, or F(ab′)
2
fragment) which binds mammalian hyaluronan synthase.
The present invention also relates to a method of detecting mammalian hyaluronan synthase in a sample comprising contacting a sample with an antibody which binds hyaluronan synthase under conditions suitable for specific binding of said antibody to the mammalian hyaluronan synthase; and detecting antibody-mammalian hyaluronan synthase.
The invention further relates to a method of using hyaluronan synthase to make hyaluronan.


REFERENCES:
patent: WO 94/00463 (1994-01-01), None
patent: WO 97/38113 (1997-10-01), None
Itano (1996) Human fetal brain mRNA for hyaluronan synthase, complete cds., Genbank Acc. No. (GBN): D84424, submitted Apr. 16, 1996, STN Online, CAS Registry No. 178197-91-6, Chemical Abrtracts, Columbus OH.*
Watanabe et al. (1996) Human Has2 mRNA, complete cds., Genbank Acc. No. (GBN): U54804, submitted Apr. 11, 1996, STN Online, CAS Registry No. 179788-75-1, Chemical Abstracts, Columbus, OH.*
Rudinger (1976) Characteristics of the amino acids as components of a peptide hormone sequence. In: Peptide Hormones, Ed. J. A. Parsons, University Park Press, Baltimore, MD, pp. 1-7, Jun. 1976.*
Itano, N. and Kimata, K., “Expression Cloning and Molecular Characterization of HAS Protein, a Eukaryotic Hyaluronan Synthase”,J. of Biol. Chemistry, 271(17):9875-9878 (Apr. 1996).
Prehm, P., “Identification and regulation of the eukaryotic hyaluronate synthase”,The Biology of Hyaluronan, (Ciba Foundation Symposium 143), pp. 21-40 (1989).
DeAngelis, P.L., et al., “TheStreptococcus pyogenesHyaluronan Synthase: Sequence Comparison and Conservation Among Various Group A Strains”,Biochemical and Biophysical Res. Communications, 199(1):1-10 (1

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