Abstract: The present invention relates to kits and methods for determining (diagnosing) prostate cancer malignancy and to predict patient prognoses. In addition to the Gleason's classification and the TMN classification, the invention kit and methods provide improved procedures with molecular markers. These new diagnostic methods provide methods capable of determining prostate cancer malignancy more accurately and easily through combination with the Gleason's classification via biopsies at an early stage before surgical operation; even when specimens taken through a fine needle examination are used instead of specimens extracted during a surgical operation.

Abstract: A novel amino acid transporter molecule mediating transportation of amino acids, which are nutrients essentially required in the survival and proliferation of various normal cells constituting a living body and various pathology-associated abnormal cells such as tumor cells, into cells and being expressed specifically in tumor cells compared with normal cells; and drugs for treating various pathogenic conditions such as tumor (cancer) which are obtained by identifying and isolating the above amino acid transporter molecule and identifying a substance capable of inhibiting the biological activity and/or expression of this molecule. Intensive studies were made to identify a tumor cell membrane surface molecule associating or interacting with a cell membrane surface 4F2hc molecule seemingly playing an important role in the activation of an unknown amino acid transporter.

Abstract: The present invention provides agents for preventing, improving or treating phosphorus-related disorders and oral preparations; agents high in biosafety and phosphorus adsorptive power, which contain, as an active ingredient, ferric hydroxide as produced under such conditions that a ferrous species is present.

Abstract: It is intended to provide a sodium-independent transporter carrying an acidic amino acid and its gene. A protein having the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1 and being capable of sodium-independently transporting an acidic amino acid and its analogs; a gene encoding this protein; a fused protein of the above protein with an auxiliary factor enabling the expression of its function; a gene encoding the same; a method of analyzing the function of a transporter using the same: and utilization thereof.