Office of Technology Management
Epidermal Surface
Antigens and Uses Thereof
Summary:
The
cDNA for a novel epidermal surface antigen, (ESA), has been isolated and
sequenced. The ESA locus is the human chromosome 17 in close proximity
to the locus for von Recklinghausen neurofibromatosis (NF1). ESA
is believed to be involved in epidermal cell adhesion and shows some overall
homology to myosin heavy chain molecules. The protein is not expressed
in epidermal cells.
ESA
could be used as a marker of mammalian epithelium, malignant schwannomas,
melanomas, and other neural crest tissues, as well as a marker for chromosome
17 and the NF1 gene. The ESA molecule has homology with myosin.
Technology Status:
This
patent is available for licensing from UT-Houston Health Science Center.
Patent
No. 5,691,460
Madeleine
Duvic, M.D.