The present invention is directed to novel polypeptides having homology to
the PRO533 protein and to nucleic acid molecules encoding those
polypeptides. Also provided herein are vectors and host cells comprising
those nucleic acid sequences, chimeric polypeptide molecules comprising
the polypeptides of the present invention fused to heterologous
polypeptide sequences, antibodies which bind to the polypeptides of the
present invention, and methods for producing the polypeptides of the
present invention. The invention concerns compositions and methods for
the diagnosis and treatment of neoplastic cell growth and proliferation
in mammals, including humans. The invention is based on the
identification of genes that are amplified in the genome of tumor cells.
Such gene amplification is expected to be associated with the
overexpression of the gene product and contribute to tumorigenesis and/or
autocrine signaling. Accordingly, the proteins encoded by the amplified
genes are believed to be useful targets for the diagnosis and/or
treatment (including prevention) of certain cancers, and may act of
predictors of the prognosis of tumor treatment. Furthermore, the
compounds, compositions including antagonists and methods of the present
invention are further expected to have therapeutic effect upon conditions
characterized by FgF-19 modulation.