The aldo-keto reductase family 1 B10 (AKR1B10 or ARL-1) protein is normally expressed in healthy colon tissue, but is decreased or absent in colorectal cancer and precancerous conditions. Conversely, ARL-1 is normally low or absent in breast, prostate, liver, and lung tissues, but is over-expressed in cancers of these tissues. The first part of this invention covers a novel antibody, which may be monoclonal or polyclonal, against ARL-1 protein. The antibody is both sensitive and highly specific to ARL-1 and has great utility as a cancer research tool. The second part of this invention relates to the use of ARL-1 as a biomarker and diagnostic tool. Approximately 816,000 new cases of colorectal, breast, prostate, liver, and lung cancers are identified yearly in the U.S., and around one third as many related deaths occur. These statistics make the ARL-1 biomarker an important tool for improving screening and early diagnostic methods, which will in turn help increase survival rates. The biomarker is superior to existing biomarkers for the cancers listed above, which are often non-specific, not reliable, and prone to false negatives and positives.

File Number: 2.194.105; 2.194.119; 2.194.157 

Web site: http://www.siumed.edu/adrfa/techavailable.html

Disease: Cancer

Other Information: Polyclonal antibody specificity is confirmed. Clinical data has been analyzed for expression profiling. In vivo studies are planned and additional clinical data will be collected.