Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, it has been discovered that histone deacetylase associates with hormone receptor complexes and contributes to the repression thereof. It has further been discovered that exposure of a repressed system to histone deacetylase inhibitors relieves this repression, and that in combination with a ligand for a member the steroid/thyroid superfamily of receptors, the differentiation effects of retinoids are enhanced. Thus, histone deacetylase inhibitors have been found to be useful for the activation of genes responsive to hormone receptors and to conteract the oncogenic functions of oncogenic proteins. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, formulations useful for modulation of hormone-mediated processes have been developed. In addition, assays have been developed for the identification of compounds useful to modulate the above-described processes as well as methods of employing such compounds for the treatment of neoplastic diseases.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel human polypeptides, designated PROST 03, which exhibit an expression pattern showing a high specificity toward prostate tissues, polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides, methods for producing the polypeptides, expression vectors and genetically engineered host cells for expression of the polypeptides. The invention further relates to methods for utilizing the polynucleotides and polypeptides in research, diagnosis, and therapeutic applications.