Abstract: The invention is based on the discovery of methods for purification of an acid active hyaluronidase found in human plasma (hpHAse), including both biochemical and immunoaffinity purification methods. The method of immunoaffinity purification of the invention is based on the discovery of a method for identifying antibodies that specifically bind native hpHAse (anti-native hpHAse antibodies), and anti-native hpHAse antibodies identified by this screening method. The invention also features an assay for sensitive detection of HAse activity using biotinylated hyaluronic acid (bHA). Purification and characterization of hpHAse lead to the inventors' additional discovery that hpHAse is encoded by the LuCa-1 gene, which gene is present in the human chromosome at 3p21.3, a region associated with tumor suppression. The invention additionally features methods of treating tumor-bearing patients by administration of hpHAse and/or transformation of cells with hpHAse-encoding DNA.

Abstract: The invention is based on the discovery of methods for purification of an acid active hyaluronidase found in human plasma (hpHAse), including both biochemical and immunoaffinity purification methods The method of immunoaffinity purification of the invention is based on the discovery of a method for identifying antibodies that specifically bind native hpHAse (anti-native hpHAse antibodies), and anti-native hpHAse antibodies identified by this screening method. The invention also features an assay for sensitive detection of HAse activity using biotinylated hyaluronic acid (bHA). Purification and characterization of hpHAse lead to the inventors' additional discovery that hpHAse is encoded by the LuCa-1 gene, which gene is present in the human chromosome at 3p21.3, a region associated with tumor suppression. The invention additionally features methods of treating tumor-bearing patients by administration of hpHAse and/or transformation of cells with hpHAse-encoding DNA.

Abstract: The invention is based on the discovery of methods for purification of an acid active hyaluronidase found in human plasma (hpHAse), including both biochemical and immunoaffinity purification methods. The method of immunoaffinity purification of the invention is based on the discovery of a method for identifying antibodies that specifically bind native hpHAse (anti-native hpHAse antibodies), and anti-native hpHAse antibodies identified by this screening method. The invention also features an assay for sensitive detection of HAse activity using biotinylated hyaluronic acid (bHA). Purification and characterization of hpHAse lead to the inventors' additional discovery that hpHAse is encoded by the LuCa-1 gene, which gene is present in the human chromosome at 3p21.3, a region associated with tumor suppression. The invention additionally features methods of treating tumor-bearing patients by administration of hpHAse and/or transformation of cells with hpHAse-encoding DNA.

Abstract: The invention is based on the discovery of methods for purification of an acid active hyaluronidase found in human plasma (hpHAse), including both biochemical and immunoaffinity purification methods. The method of immunoaffinity purification of the invention is based on the discovery of a method for identifying antibodies that specifically bind native hpHAse (anti-native hpHAse antibodies), and anti-native hpHAse antibodies identified by this screening method. The invention also features an assay for sensitive detection of HAse activity using biotinylated hyaluronic acid (bHA). Purification and characterization of hpHAse lead to the inventors' additional discovery that hpHAse is encoded by the LuCa-1 gene, which gene is present in the human chromosome at 3p21.3, a region associated with tumor suppression. The invention additionally features methods of treating tumor-bearing patients by administration of hpHAse and/or transformation of cells with hpHAse-encoding DNA.

Abstract: The invention is based on the discovery of methods for purification of an acid active hyaluronidase found in human plasma (hpHAse), including both biochemical and immunoaffinity purification methods. The method of immunoaffinity purification of the invention is based on the discovery of a method for identifying antibodies that specifically bind native hpHAse (anti-native hpHAse antibodies), and anti-native hpHAse antibodies identified by this screening method. The invention also features an assay for sensitive detection of HAse activity using biotinylated hyaluronic acid (bHA). Purification and characterization of hpHAse lead to the inventors' additional discovery that hpHAse is encoded by the LuCa-1 gene, which gene is present in the human chromosome at 3p21.3, a region associated with tumor suppression. The invention additionally features methods of treating tumor-bearing patients by administration of hpHAse and/or transformation of cells with hpHAse-encoding DNA.

Abstract: The invention is based on the discovery of methods for purification of an acid active hyaluronidase found in human plasma (hpHAse), including both biochemical and immunoaffinity purification methods. The method of immunoaffinity purification of the invention is based on the discovery of a method for identifying antibodies that specifically bind native hpHAse (anti-native hpHAse antibodies), and anti-native hpHAse antibodies identified by this screening method. The invention also features an assay for sensitive detection of HAse activity using biotinylated hyaluronic acid (bHA). Purification and characterization of hpHAse lead to the inventors' additional discovery that hpHAse is encoded by the LuCa-1 gene, which gene is present in the human chromosome at 3p21.3, a region associated with tumor suppression. The invention additionally features methods of treating tumor-bearing patients by administration of hpHAse and/or transformation of cells with hpHAse-encoding DNA.

Abstract: The invention is based on the discovery of methods for purification of an acid active hyaluronidase found in human plasma (hpHAse), including both biochemical and immunoaffinity purification methods. The method of immunoaffinity purification of the invention is based on the discovery of a method for identifying antibodies that specifically bind native hpHAse (anti-native hpHAse antibodies), and anti-native hpHAse antibodies identified by this screening method. The invention also features an assay for sensitive detection of HAse activity using biotinylated hyaluronic acid (bHA). Purification and characterization of hpHAse lead to the inventors' additional discovery that hpHAse is encoded by the LuCa-1 gene, which gene is present in the human chromosome at 3p21.3, a region associated with tumor suppression. The invention additionally features methods of treating tumor-bearing patients by administration of hpHAse and/or transformation of cells with hpHAse-encoding DNA.

Abstract: The present invention is based on the purification and sequencing of isozymes of plasma hyaluronidase (pHAse) found in urine. Specifically, urine contains two hyaluronidases (HAses): 1) a 57 kDa HAse that is apparently the same as the 57 kDa HAse found in plasma; and 2) a 45 kDa HAse, which is found in urine but not plasma. The smaller urine isozyme is composed of two disulfide-linked polypeptides produced by endoproteolytic cleavage of the 57 kDa isoform. The present invention thus features a urinary hyaluronidase (uHAse) polypeptide and nucleotide sequences encoding a Chain A polypeptide and a Chain B polypeptide, the two polypeptides of which uHAse is composed. In a particular aspect, the uHAse is a human uHAse (huHAse), preferably a huHAse composed of the Chain A and B polypeptides having SEQ ID NOS: 2 and 4, respectively. In related aspects the invention features polynucleotide sequence encoding Chain A and Chain B polypeptides, preferably having the sequences of SEQ ID NOS: 1 and 3, respectively.

Abstract: The invention is based on the discovery of methods for purification of an acid active hyaluronidase found in human plasma (hpHAse), including both biochemical and immunoaffinity purification methods. The method of immunoaffinity purification of the invention is based on the discovery of a method for identifying antibodies that specifically bind native hpHAse (anti-native hpHAse antibodies), and anti-native hpHAse antibodies identified by this screening method. The invention also features an assay for sensitive detection of HAse activity using biotinylated hyaluronic acid (bHA). Purification and characterization of hpHAse lead to the inventors' additional discovery that hpHAse is encoded by the LuCa-1 gene, which gene is present in the human chromosome at 3p21.3, a region associated with tumor suppression.