[0001] The present application claims the benefit of United States Provisional Patent Application Serial Number 61/807445, filed on April 02, 2013 and hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Field of the Inventions

[0002] Embodiments of the invention relate to fibulin 3 (also referred to as EGF-containing fibulin-like extracellular matrix protein 1 (EFEMPl)) polypeptide variants, and nucleotide sequences that code for them, characterized by having one or more activities of inhibiting cancer growth, inhibiting cancer cell invasion, and inhibiting cancer recurrence.

Background of the Inventions

[0003] Fibulins are a seven-member family of secreted glycoproteins characterized by possessing repeated epidermal growth-factor-like domains and a unique C-terminal structure. Studies of fibulin protein function in cancer indicate that some fibulin proteins have tumor-suppressor activity and some have oncogenic activity. Moreover, some individual fibulin proteins (e.g., fibulin 3/EFEMP1) demonstrate tumor suppressor activity or oncogenic activity in a tissue-specific manner.

[0004] EFEMPl tumor suppressor function is indicated by the following. EFEMPl has an anti-angiogenic function via suppression of endothelial cell sprouting. EFEMPl overexpression inhibits tumorigenicity of fibrosarcoma cells. Reduced EFEMPl expression and/or EFEMPl promoter methylation occurs in lung, liver, breast, colon, prostate, and nasopharyngeal carcinoma. EFEMPl expression in glioblastoma multiforme, hepatocellular, and nasopharyngeal carcinoma is correlated with a favorable prognosis. EFEMPl suppresses AKT signaling activity in nasopharyngeal carcinoma and glioblastoma cell lines

[0005] EFEMPl oncogenic function is indicated by the following. Elevated EFEMPl expression has been correlated to poor prognosis for cervical cancer. The results of a clinical trial demonstrated that EFEMPl over- expression was correlated to poor prognosis for breast carcinoma. In pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells, EFEMPl over- expression promotes xenograft formation. EFEMPl activates AKT signaling activity in pancreatic carcinoma cell lines. In certain glioma cells, EFEMPl has been shown to enhance in vitro substrate-specific cell adhesion and promote cell motility and dispersion.

The deadly form of brain cancer, glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), for which there is not yet any effective treatment, is made up of disparate subpopulations of cells characterized by having distinct proliferation and infiltration properties. The mechanism underlying GBM recurrence after treatment, such as surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, has not been conclusively identified. It has been speculated that recurrence is caused by an infiltrative subpopulation of GBM cells that have neural stem cell properties (so-called tumor stem cells) and are resistant to radiation and chemotherapy. GBM growth appears largely dependent on an angiogenic tumor microenvironment, and anti-angiogenic therapies have been shown to temporarily repress GBM tumor growth. But anti-angiogenic therapies do not improve overall survival of GBM patients and result in tumor recurrence with an increased pattern of infiltration. Previously, a therapy targeting glioma cell infiltration has been lacking.

Summary of the Inventions

[0006] In the past 30 years, only a modest 2.5 month median survival increase has been achieved for GBM cancer patients by adding concomitant temozolamide treatment to radiotherapy after surgery. An object of the present invention is to provide cancer therapies that can provide inhibition of cancer cell growth, infiltration, and/or recurrence in cancers, such as GBM. Accordingly, embodiments of the invention provide amino acid sequence variants of wild type EFEMP1 protein characterized by modulating, in cancer cells, the activity and/or expression level of proteins that include EGFR, AKT, protein tyrosine kinase 2 (PTK2), and NOTCH. The cancer can be a low - medium grade glioma, a high grade glioma, such as GBM, a fibrosarcoma, a colorectal cancer, a lung cancer, a colon cancer, a liver cancer, a breast cancer, a prostate cancer, or a nasopharyngeal cancer. And the cancer cell can be a cancer stem cell and non-stem-like cancer cell.

[0007] Certain embodiments of the invention provide polypeptides that: (i) comprise an amino acid sequence that shares at least about 70%, about 75%, about 80%, about 85%, about 90%, about 95%, about 97%, about 99%, or 100% identity with the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO 1 or SEQ ID NO 2; and (ii) possess at least one activity selected from the group consisting of an inhibition of cancer cell invasion, an inhibition of tumor growth, and an inhibition of cancer recurrence. Some embodiments of the invention provide nucleic acid molecules that comprise a nucleotide sequence that encode for such polypeptides.

[0008] Certain embodiments of the invention provide polypeptides that: (i) comprise an amino acid sequence that shares at least about 85%, about 90%, about 95%, about 97%, about 99%, or 100% identity with the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO 1 or SEQ ID NO 2, and (ii) possess at least one activity selected from the group consisting of an inhibition of EGFR expression, an inhibition of EGFR activity, an inhibition of AKT expression, an inhibition of AKT activity, an inhibition of PKT2 expression, an inhibition of PKT2 activity, an inhibition of NOTCH expression, and an inhibition of NOTCH activity. Some embodiments of the invention provide nucleic acid molecules that comprise a nucleotide sequence that encode for such polypeptides.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009] FIG. 1A is a CLUSTAL W amino acid sequence alignment of fibulin proteins EFEMP1, EFEMP2, and fibulin 5 (FBLN5). FIG. IB is a CLUSTAL W amino acid sequence alignment of an EGFR-homologous region (EHR) in human, mouse, and rat EFEMP1 protein, four isoforms of human EGFR protein, and a deletion mutant of EGFR.

[0010] FIG. 2 is a schematic of the modular structure of a FLAG-tagged, wild-type EFEMP1 protein construct El and a panel of FLAG-tagged, EFEMP1 protein variant constructs E2-E11, E13-E15, and E18.

[0011] FIG. 3A is a plot of tumor weights from the S.C. xenograft assay described in Example 4, initiated with parental cultures of U251 cell lines stably transfected with the E1-E3, E6-E7, E10-E11, E13, and E15 pcDNA 3.1+ constructs described in FIG. 2 and Example 1 and vector pcDNA 3.1+ (P). FIG. 3B is a plot of tumor weights from the S.C. xenograft assay described in Example 4, initiated with parental cultures of U251 cells infected with the El, E2, E5, Ell, E13, E15, and E18 pTRIPZ lentiviral constructs described in FIG. 2 and Example 1 and vector pTRIPZ (Vec). [0012] FIG. 4A is a photograph of the bottom surface of transwell inserts from the matrigel cell invasion assay described in Example 5, initiated with parental cultures of U251 cell lines stably transfected with the E1-E3, E5, E6-E7, E9-E10, Ell, and E13-E15 pcDNA 3.1+ constructs described in FIG. 2 and Example 1; vector pcDNA 3.1+ (Vec); and U251 parental control cells (P). FIG. 4B is a plot of cell invasion from the matrigel invasion assay described in Example 5, initiated with neural sphere cultures of U251 cells infected with the El, E2, E5, 13, E15, and E18 pTRIPZ lentiviral constructs described in FIG. 2 and Example 1 and vector pTRIPZ (Vec). FIG. 4C is a photograph of gels of the zymography assay described in Example 6, conducted with cells of the matrigel invasion assays pictured in FIG. 4B.

[0013] FIG. 5 is a photograph of immunoblots described in Example 7, conducted with parental culture U251 cells infected with the El, E2, E5, and E10 pTRIPZ lentiviral constructs described in FIG. 2 and Example 1.

[0014] FIG. 6 is a survival plot for mice from the I.C. xenograft assay described in Example 8, initiated with neural sphere cultures of U251 cells infected with the El, E2, and E5 pTRIPZ lentiviral constructs described in FIG. 2 and Example 1.

Detailed Description of the Inventions

[0015] An object achieved by the present invention is to provide amino acid sequences of EFEMPl polypeptide variants that possess at least one activity of inhibiting cancer growth, inhibiting cancer cell infiltration, and inhibiting cancer recurrence, such as a glioma (e.g., a glioblastoma multiforme). In some embodiments, amino acid sequence variants of wild-type EFEMPl protein, at times referred to as EFEMPl derived tumor suppressor proteins (ETSP), inhibit proliferation and invasion activities of fast proliferative and invasive glioma tumor cell subpopulations separately and together in orthotopic tumor formatting. Such ETSPs have been discovered, at least in part, by amino acid sequence homology studies of wild-type EFEMPl and experimentation with variant EFEMPl polypeptides.

[0016] FIG. 1A is a CLUSTAL W (1.83) alignment of the amino acid sequences of wild-type EFEMPl, EFEMP2, and fibulin 5 (FBLN5) which shows that, although EFEMPl is a longer protein than EFEMP2 and FBLN5, a high degree of sequence similarity exists among those proteins. FIG 1A also shows the location of weak (RGE) and strong (RGD) integrin binding sites in wild-type EFEMPl and FBLN5, respectively. FIG. IB is a CLUSTAL W (1.83) alignment of a 38 amino acid EGFR-homologous region (EHR) in EFEMPl. The aligned EHR amino acid sequences are: human, mouse, and rat EFEMPl; four isoforms of human EGFR (EGFRvl, EGFRv2, EGFRv3, EGFRv4); and a deletion mutant of EGFR (EGFRvIII) identified in human cancers.

[0017] FIG. 2 is a schematic of modular domains present in a panel of FLAG-tagged, EFEMPl proteins encoded by constructs El-Ell, E13-E15, and E18. Construct El encodes a full-length EFEMPl protein having wild-type (wt) amino acid sequence, which includes a signal peptide, a DSL motif, an EGF-like module with an insertion, five EGF-like modules numbered 1-5, and a fibulin-type module.

[0018] Construct E2 encodes an EFEMPl variant in which amino acids 81-172 have been deleted, largely eliminating the EFEMPl-specific, EGF-like module with an insertion of wt EFEMPl.

[0019] Construct E3 encodes an EFEMPl variant in which amino acids 379-493 have been deleted, largely eliminating the fibulin-type module of wt EFEMPl. [0020] Construct E4 encodes an EFEMPl variant in which amino acid 186 has been changed from Alanine to Glycine, which converts a weak integrin binding site of wt EFEMPl into a strong integrin binding site.

[0021] Construct E5 encodes an EFEMPl variant in which amino acids 379-493 have been deleted, largely eliminating the fibulin-type module of wt EFEMPl, and in which amino acid 210 has been changed from glutamic acid to aspartic acid, converting a weak integrin binding site of wt EFEMPl into a strong integrin binding site.

[0022] Construct E6 encodes an EFEMPl variant in which amino acids 173-213 and 379-493 have been deleted, largely eliminating the EGF-like module 1 and the fibulin-type module of wt EFEMPl.

[0023] Construct E7 encodes an EFEMPl variant in which amino acids 173-213 have been deleted, largely eliminating EGF-like module 1 of wt EFEMPl.

[0024] Construct E8 encodes an EFEMPl variant in which amino acids 379-493 have been deleted, largely eliminating the fibulin-type module of wt EFEMPl, and in which amino acid 186 has been changed from Alanine to Glycine, which converts a weak integrin binding site of wt EFEMPl into a strong integrin binding site.

[0025] Construct E9 encodes an EFEMPl variant in which amino acid 186 has been changed from Alanine to Glycine, amino acid 210 has been changed from glutamic acid to aspartic acid, converting two weak integrin binding sites of wt EFEMPl into two strong integrin binding sites.

[0026] Construct E10 encodes an EFEMPl variant in which amino acid 130 has been changed from Methionine to Valine, converting that amino acid residue in human wt EFEMPl, positioned in a 20 amino acid sequence in the EGF-like module with insertion that shares sequence similarity to EGFR, to the corresponding mouse and rat EFEMPl residue.

[0027] Construct Ell encodes an EFEMPl variant in which amino acids 44-172 and 379-493 have been deleted, partly eliminating the DSL motif of wt EFEMPl and largely eliminating the EGF-like module with insertion and the fibulin-type module of wt EFEMPl.

[0028] Construct E13 encodes an EFEMPl variant in which amino acids 214-493 have been deleted, largely eliminating the EGF-like modules 2-5 and the fibulin-type module of wt EFEMPl.

[0029] Construct E14 encodes an EFEMPl variant in which amino acids 214-493 have been deleted, largely eliminating EGF-like modules 2-5 and the fibulin-type module of wt EFEMPl, and in which amino acid 186 has been changed from Alanine to Glycine, converting a weak integrin binding site of wt EFEMPl into a strong one.

[0030] Construct E15 encodes an EFEMPl variant in which amino acids 214-493 have been deleted, largely eliminating EGF-like modules 2-5 and the fibulin-type module of wt EFEMPl, and in which amino acid 210 has been changed from Glutamic Acid to Aspartic Acid, converting a weak integrin binding site of wt EFEMPl into a strong one.

[0031] Construct E18 encodes an EFEMPl variant in which amino acids 173-493 have been deleted, largely eliminating EGF-like modules 1-5 and the fibulin-type module of wt EFEMPl.

[0032] U251 is a high-tumorigenicity malignant glioma cell line derived from human glioblastoma multiforme. Different protocols exist for culturing U251. Parental culture of U251 is serum-containing and adherent. Neural sphere (NS) culture of U251 is serum-free and non-adherent, or fibronectin-anchored adherent, with supplements used for culture of normal neural stem cells. U251 is composed of disparate subpopulations of cells. In parental culture, the majority cell subpopulation carries two normal copies of chromosome 7 and one 7q-deleted copy of chromosome 7. In NS culture, the majority cell subpopulation carries one normal copy of chromosome 7 and one 7q-deleted copy of chromosome 7.

[0033] U251 cells that carry two normal copies of chromosome 7 and one 7q-deleted copy of chromosome 7 show fast proliferation in the S.C. xenograft assay described in Example 4. They also are also lacking in invasiveness, but form the bulk of the tumor mass, in the I.C. xenograft assay described in Example 8.

[0034] U251-NS cells that carry one normal copy of chromosome 7 and one 7q-deleted copy of chromosome 7 show high levels of invasiveness in the matrigel invasion and zymography assays described in Examples 5 and 6. They also possess tumor stem-like cell features and are lacking in tumorigenicity in the S.C. xenograft assay described in Example 4. U251-NS cells transfected to overexpress vascular endothelial growth factor form tumors in subcutaneous (S.C.) xenograft assay described in Example 4. U251-NS cells forms highly invasive tumor in intracranial (I.C.) xenograft assay described in Example 8. And they are more invasive than U251 cells that carry two normal copies of chromosome 7 and one 7q-deleted copy of chromosome 7 in the IC xenograft assay described in Example 8.

[0035] Table 1 reports qRT-PCR results obtained with three types of U251 cell cultures. The first type was parental culture of U251 cell lines stably transfected with the El, E2, E3, E4, E5, E6, E7, E8, E9, ElO, Ell, E13, E14, E15 and E18 pcDNA 3.1+ constructs described in FIG. 2 and Example 1 and with plasmid vector pcDNA 3.1+ (Vec). The second type was parental culture of U251 cells infected with the El, E2, E5, E6, E7, E8, Ell, E13, E15, and E18 pTRIPZ lentiviral constructs described in FIG. 2 and Example 2 and with plasmid vector pTRIPZ (Vec). The third type was neural sphere culture of U251 (U251-NS) cells infected with the El, E2, E3, E5, E7, E8, ElO, Ell, E13, E15, and E18 pTRIPZ lentiviral constructs described in FIG. 2 and Example 2 and with plasmid vector pTRIPZ (Vec). The forward primer of the PCR primer pair annealed to the FLAG tag and the reverse primer annealed to exon 4 of EFEMP1.

The results of Table 1 indicate that the El, E2, E3, E4, E5, E6, E7, E8, E9, ElO, Ell, E13, E14, E15 and E18 constructs are expressed in parental cultures of U251 transfectant cells. The results of Table 1 also indicate that the El, E2, E5, E6, E7, E8, Ell, E13, E15, and E18 constructs are expressed in parental cultures of U251 lentiviral infectant cells, in a doxycycline-inducible manner. Also that the El, E2, E3, E5, E7, E8, ElO, Ell, E13, E15, and E18 constructs are expressed in doxycycline containing neural sphere cultures of U251 (U251-NS) lentiviral infectant cells.

Table 1

*\.¾.^:¾»'·: ·· ;·,:.:;¾ -·: : :

[0036] Table 2 reports results obtained with the anchorage-independent growth and cell proliferation soft agar colony formation assay described in Example 3, initiated with parental cultures of U251 cell lines stably transfected with the El, E2, E3, E4, E5, E6, E7, E8, E9, ElO, Ell, E13, E14, and E15 pcDNA 3.1+ constructs described in FIG. 2 and Example 1 and with plasmid vector pcDNA 3.1+ (Vec). Table 2 also reports results obtained with the anchorage-independent growth and cell proliferation soft agar colony formation assay described in Example 3, initiated with neural sphere cultures of U251 cells (U251-NS) infected with the El, E2, E5, E7, E8, ElO, Ell, E13, E15, and E18 pTRIPZ lentiviral constructs described in FIG. 2 and Example 2 and with plasmid vector pTRIPZ (Vec). Lentivial infectants were cultured in medium containing doxycycline to induce transgene expression, and expression was verified by assaying RFP expression with a fluorescent microscope. The results of Table 2 indicate that EFEMPl protein variants expressed from constructs E2, E5, E6, E7, E8, Ell, E13, E14, and E15 suppress U251 and/or U251-NS cell growth. They also indicate that EFEMPl protein variant E3 increased cell proliferation in the U251 soft agar assay.

Table 2

«251

Number

Construct Sim

{Ave, SD} ^Si * ^e (Ave. so;

Vec 3+ 1.0. 0 3 2+ 1.0, 0.1

£1 3+ 1.1. 8.4 1-f 06. 02

£2 ^ 3+ 0.6, 0.2 1+ 5.4, 0.2

S3 6+ 0.7,. 0,1

£4 3-*- 1,0, 0,2

K; -■ ; 0Λ OA 0.1

0.2. 0.1

ε? + 0.7, 0,3 1+ 0.5, .2

3+ 1.3, 0 0.6, 0.1

& 3* 1.1, 0.3

E1S 4-f α?, 0.1 2+ 1.0. 0.2

£11 </ 1÷ 0 3, 0.1 1+ 0 S, 0-2

£13 V '!÷ 1. , 0,2 1+ 0-7, 0.2

εΐ 3+ 0.B, 0.2

£15 <f 3* 0.3, 0,1 1* 1.7. 0.3

£ 8 2* 1.8. 0.2

[0037] FIG. 3A is a plot of tumor weights from the S.C. xenograft assay described in Example 4, initiated with parental cultures of U251 cell lines stably transfected with the El, E2, E3, E6, E7, ElO, Ell, E13, and E15 pcDNA 3.1+ constructs described in FIG. 2 and Example 1 and with U251 parental control cells (P). The results indicate that the EFEMPl protein variants expressed from constructs E2, E3, E5, E6, Ell, and E15 suppress U251 cells forming tumors in the S.C. xenograft assay. [0038] FIG. 3B is a plot of tumor weights from the S.C. xenograft assay described in Example 4, initiated with parental cultures of U251 cells infected with the El, E2, E5, Ell, E13, E15, and E18 pTRIPZ lentiviral constructs described in FIG. 2 and Example 2 and with plasmid vector pTRIPZ (Vec). Mice were fed with doxycycline-containing water from day 1 and throughout the experiment. RFP-expression was shown in the resulting tumors. The results indicate that the EFEMPl protein variants expressed from constructs E2, E5, E15, and E18 suppress U251 cells forming tumors in the S.C. xenograft assay.

[0039] FIG. 4A is a photograph of cell plates from the matrigel cell invasion assay described in Example 5, initiated with parental cultures of U251 cell lines stably transfected with the El, E2, E3, E5, E6, E7, E9, E10, Ell, E13, E14, and E15 pcDNA 3.1+ constructs described in FIG. 2 and Example 1 and with plasmid vector pcDNA 3.1+ (Vec) and with U251 parental control cells (P). The results indicate that the EFEMPl protein variants expressed from constructs E3, Ell, and E15 suppress the invasiveness of U251 cells in the matrigel assay.

[0040] FIG. 4B is a plot of cell invasion in the matrigel invasion assay described in Example 5, initiated with neural sphere cultures of U251 (U251-NS) cells infected with the El, E2, E5, E13, E15, and E18 pTRIPZ lentiviral constructs described in FIG. 2 and Example 2 and with plasmid vector pTRIPZ (Vec). Lentiviral infectants were cultured in medium containing doxycycline to induce transgene expression, and expression was verified by assaying RFP expression with a fluorescent microscope. The results indicate that the EFEMPl protein variant expressed from construct E5 significantly inhibits U251-NS cell invasion; whereas the wild-type EFEMPl and EFEMPl protein variants expressed from constructs El, E15, and E18 significantly promote U251-NS cell invasion.

[0041] FIG. 4C is a photograph of two gels of the zymography assay described in Example 6, conducted with cells from the matrigel invasion assay pictured in FIG. 4B. The results indicate that U251-NS glioma cells secrete active MMP2 (-67 kD), detected by the zymography assay. MMP2 is a protease highly expressed by glioma cells and is responsible for cell invasion. Also that the EFEMPl protein variant expressed from construct E5 significantly inhibits U251-NS glioma cell production of activated MMP2; whereas the wild-type EFEMPl and EFEMPl protein variants expressed from constructs El, E15, and E18 significantly promotes U251-NS glioma cell production of activated MMP2.

[0042] FIG. 5 is a photograph of immunoblots described in Example 7, conducted with parental culture U251 cells infected with the El, E2, E5, and E10 pTRIPZ lentiviral constructs described in FIG. 2 and Example 1. Lentiviral infectants were cultured in medium containing doxycycline to induce transgene expression for 3 days, and expression was verified by assaying RFP expression with a fluorescent microscope. About 40% of gliomas overexpress EGFR, and EGFR activation is functionally related to enhanced cell survival and growth. Activation of Notch signaling by increasing NOTCH1 expression is a common feature of cancer stem cells. The results indicate that the EFEMPl protein variant expressed from the E5 construct reduces the expression of EGFR and NOCTH 1 at protein level in U251 cells. ACTB expression level was used to indicate equal protein loading.

[0043] FIG. 6 is a Kaplan-Meier survival plot, carried out with mice from the intracranial xenograft assay described in Example 8, initiated with neural sphere cultures of U251 (U251-NS) cells infected with the El, E2, and E5 pTRIPZ lentiviral constructs described in FIG. 2 and Example 1. Mice were fed with doxycycline-containing water from day 1 and throughout the experiment. RFP-expression was shown in the resulting tumors. The results indicate that the EFEMP1 protein variant expressed from the E5 construct inhibits tumorigenecity of U251-NS cells, measured by significantly prolonged survival, with median survival time more than doubled.

[0044] Taken together, the data and results set forth above indicate that the E5 EFEMP1 protein variant is a potent ETSP. The amino acid sequence of the FLAG tagged E5 EFEMP1 protein variant is set forth in SEQ ID NO 1. The amino acid sequences of a non-FLAG tagged E5 EFEMP1 protein variant is set forth in SEQ ID NO 2.

EXAMPLE 1

[0045] EFEMP1 deletion/mutation constructs. Expression constructs encoding the El, E2, E3, E4, E5, E6,

E7, E8, E9, E10, Ell, E13, E15, and E18 wild-type and variant EFEMP1 proteins illustrated in FIG. 2 and described above were made by PCR, with primers designed to create restriction sites for cloning and/or ligation of two separate cDNA fragments of EFEMP1. PCR products were cloned into TA-cloning vector pCR4.0 and sequence verified, prior to subcloning into mammalian expression vector pcDNA3.1+ (Life Technologies) and lentiviral vector pTRIPZ. A shuttle vector had been made to introduce internal ribosome entry site for expression of EFEMP1 wild-type and variant proteins in pTRIPZ (Thermo Scientific) under the same promoter for red fluorescent protein (RFP).

EXAMPLE 2

[0046] U251 lentiviral infectants. U251 (parental and neural sphere cultures) lentiviral infectants were established by generating lentivirus from co-transfecting HEK293 with plasmid DNA constructs (lentiviral vector pTRIPZ-empty vector or pTRIPZ-EFEMPl construct El, E2, E3, E4, E5, E6, E7, E8, E9, E10, Ell, E13, E15, and E18 together with its derived constructs, psAX2, and pCMV-VSV-G). The U251 lentiviral infectants were established after elimination of uninfected cells by a 1-2 week culture under selecting antibiotic (1.25 pg/ml puromycin) and addition of doxycycline (1 pg/ml) to monitor success of infection via RFP expression in live cells with inverted fluorescent microscopy.

[0047] U251 stable transfectants. U251 stable transfectants were established by transfecting with with plasmid DNA constructs (pcDNA3.1 vector or pcDNA-El, E2, E3, E4, E5, E6, E7, E8, E9, E10, Ell, E13, and E15), and cultured under selecting antibiotic (400 μg/ml neomycin) to form colonies. Individual colonies were picked using pipet tips, and transferred to 6-well plates to expand the colonies.

EXAMPLE 3

[0048] Soft agar colony formation assay. 800 -1000 cells were mixed with 1 ml of 0.3% soft agar in DMEM/F12 supplemented with 5% bovine serum or a mitogen supplement for NS cultures described in Example 10, spread onto hardened 0.5% soft agar in the same medium (1 ml per well in four corner wells of a 6-well plate). 1 ml of the same medium was added 2 and 3 weeks later and colony numbers were counted 4 weeks later under a microscope with a 4X lens. The cells were U251 control cells and U251 cells stably transfected with constructs El, E2, E3, E4, E5, E6, E7, E8, E9, E10, Ell, E13, E14, E15, or pcDNA-empty vector (Vec). The cells were cultured in medium containing doxycycline to induce transgene expression. Total number of colonies in each well were counted under microscope with 4X lens and normalized to average number of colony from Vec control (set in uninity). The average (Ave) and standard deviation (SD) were based on colonies formed 4 individual wells. 5-10 Representative colonies were measured and scaled by the diameter of the colony: 1+ (-10 μΐη), 2+ (-20 μΐη), 3+ (30-40 μΐη), 4+ (40-60 μΐη), 5+ (50-100 μΐη), 6+ (100-200 μΐη).

EXAMPLE 4

[0049] Subcutaneous (S.C.) xenograft assay. Parental cultures of U251HF lentiviral infectant cell lines pTRIPZ-vec and pTRIPZ-El, E2, E5, Ell, E13, E15, and E18 were grown in media containing 1 pg/ml doxycycline. 2.5xl0 ⁶ U251HF lentiviral infectant cells in 50 μΙ DMEM/F12 containing 14x diluted matrigel (original concentration 9- 12 mg/ml) were subcutaneously injected into female nude mice (strain NCrNu-M, Taconic, Hudson, NY) that were 4-6 weeks old, anterior to their right and left thighs on both sides. Injected mice were provided with water containing 1 Mg/ml doxycycline the day of injection. Tumors were removed 25 days after injection, weighed, and analyzed by t-test (paired, two tailed).

EXAMPLE 5

[0050] Matrigel invasion assay. 9-12 mg/ml Matrigel was thawed on ice or at 4°C. 10 ml ice cold serum free medium was added to the thawed matrigel. Plates were prepared by diluting thawed matrigel with ice cold SF- DMEM/F12, add 200μΙ to transwell (12 well; 8μιη), and then incubating at room temp for > 1 hour. Before plating cells, unbound material was gently aspirated off. The matrigel coating is colorless and not visible. Cells were prepared by detaching cells grown in 100 mm dishes to 80-90% confluency, by washing with 10 ml PBS, digesting with 2 ml 0.05% trypsin-EDTA for 30 sec, removing the trypsin, detaching the cells by tapping the bottle, then adding 10 ml culture medium and pipetting up and down, and then transferring the cells to a 15-ml tube. The cells were then spun down, resuspended in 10-15 ml SF-medium, taking 10 μΙ to count cells with a hemocytometer. 5xl0 ⁶ cells were then spun down and resuspended in 5 ml SF-medium at lxl0 ⁶ /ml. 5 χ 10 ⁵ cells were added to coated transwell, and 1 ml 0.05% CS-medium was added to the to bottom well. Plating was done in a CO2 incubator, where plates were then cultured for 24 hours.

[0051] Cells that penetrated the matrigel were stained with HEMA3 CMS as follows. 0.5 ml of fixative stain was added to the well of the plate and 0.2 ml was added to the transwell. The stain was removed after 20 minutes. Then, 0.5 ml of red stain was added to the well of the plate and 0.2 ml was added to the transwell. The stain was removed after 20 minutes. Then, 0.5 ml of dark blue stain was added to the well of the plate and 0.2 ml was added to the transwell. The stain was removed after 20 minutes. A Q-tip dipped in water was used to remove the matrigel membrane, which was then air dried. The dry membrane was placed on a slide and mounting medium was added. A coverslip was then placed on top, and 10 pictures were taken for each filter with a microscope using a 20X lens. Cells were then counted based on the pictures taken, compared to control (Vec), which was set to unity, and analyzed by t- test (paired, two tailed).

EXAMPLE 6 [0052] Gelatin zymography assay. Conditioned medium of NS cultured U25F lentiviral infectant cells expressing wild-type EFEMP1 and variant EFEMP1 protein from constructs pTRIPZ-El, E2, E5, E13, E15, or E18 cells, as well as NS culture U251HF control, pTRIPZ-vec cells, were grown for 48 hours in serum-free DMFM/F12 media containing 1 pg/ml doxycycline were collected as follows. Cells were spun down, and 0.3 ml supernatant was transferred into a 1.5 ml tube. Protein was precipitated from the supernatant by adding 1.2 ml cold acetone. The precipitate was spun immediately at 14K RPM for 5 min at 4°C. Condition medium protein (CM-P) was resuspended in 100 μΙ lx RIPA + lx protease inhibitor cocktail. 2 μΙ of CM-P was taken to determine protein concentrate with a BIO-RAD Protein Assay. The resuspended CM-P was stored at 80°C.

[0053] 2-4 pg of CM-P were mixed with, lxRIPA, and 2x sample buffer (100 μΙ 10% BB, 10 ml glycerol, 1 g SDS, 7.5 ml 1 M Tris.HCI pH 6.8, add sterile ddH20 to 50 ml), briefly spun, and loaded onto a zymogrpahy gel in lx Tris-glycine-SDS running buffer. The gel was run at room temp @ 90 V for 2 hours. The gel was washed several times in 2.5% Triton X-100 for 1-2 hour at RT with gentle shaking. The gel was then incubated overnight at 37°C in protease reaction buffer (50 mM Tris (pH=7.5), 10 mM CaC , 150 mM NaCI). The gel was then stained for 30 min with Coomassie Blue R-250 (0.1% coomassie blue, 10% acetic acid, 10% isopropanol in ddH20) with gentle shaking. The gel was then the stained in 10% acetic acid, 30% methanol solution three times for 20 minutes, and air-dried overnight between two cellophane papers.

EXAMPLE 7

[0054] Immunoblotting. 30-40 pg protein of whole cell lysate were loaded onto 8% SDS-PAGE gel in lx Tris-glycine-SDS running buffer. The gel was run at room temp, 90 V for 2 hours, and transferred to A nitrocellular membrane. The blots were blocked with 5% skim milk for 1 hour, then incubated in 1% BSA containing rabbit primary antibodies for EGFR (1:1000 dilution) or NOTCH1 (1:1000 dilution) overnight. Then washed with IX TBST for 1 hour, incubated with anti-rabbit IgG HRP-conjugated secondary antibody (1:10,000 dilution) for 1 hour. An ECL detection kit was used to develop the signal in the immunoblots.

EXAMPLE 8

[0055] Intracranial (I.C.) xenograft assay. Glioma cells (1 x 10 ⁵ / 3 μΙ DMEM/F12) were injected into the frontal lobe of 4-6 week old, female, nude mice (strain NCrNu-M, Taconic, Hudson, NY), following IACUC approved surgical procedures. After I.C. implantation, mice were daily observed for moribund signs (hunchback posture, marked weight loss, and gait impairment) and periodically weighed. Mice were euthanized when they developed brain-damage symptoms (ataxia, hemiparesia, etc) and/or 20% body weight loss, and the following day was recorded as the survival date for survival analysis.

EXAMPLE 9

[0056] Parental culture of U251. U251 cells were cultured in regular tissue-culture-treated dishes, in DMEM/F12 medium supplemented with 5% bovine serum and lx penicillin-streptomycin, at 37°C with 5% CO2, in humidity chamber. EXAMPLE 10

[0057] NS culture of U251. U251 cells were cultured in an agar (l%)-coated dish, with DMEM/F12 medium supplemented with 20 ng/ml EGF, 20 ng/ml bFGF, 0.3% B27, and lx penicillin-streptomycin, at 37°C with 5% CO2, in a humidity chamber.

[0058] The following publications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety:

[0059] Lecka-Czernik B, Lumpkin CK Jr, Goldstein S. An overexpressed gene transcript in senescent and quiescent human fibroblasts encoding a novel protein in the epidermal growth factor-like repeat family stimulates DNA synthesis. Mol Cell Biol. 1995 Jan;15(l):120-8.

[0060] Sun BS, Zhu X, Clayton MM, Pan J, Feitelson MA. Identification of a protein isolated from senescent human cells that binds to hepatitis B virus X antigen. Hepatology. 1998 Jan;27(l):228-39.

[0061] Lissemore JL, Starmer WT. Phylogenetic analysis of vertebrate and invertebrate Delta/Serrate/LAG-2 (DSL) proteins. Mol Phylogenet Evol. 1999 Mar;ll(2):308-19.

[0062] Stone EM, Lotery AJ, Munier FL, Heon E, Piguet B, Guymer RH, Vandenburgh K, Cousin P, Nishimura D, Swiderski RE, Silvestri G, Mackey DA, Hageman GS, Bird AC, Sheffield VC, Schorderet DF. A single EFEMPl mutation associated with both Malattia Leventinese and Doyne honeycomb retinal dystrophy. Nat Genet. 1999 Jun;22(2):199- 202.

[0063] Marmorstein LY, Munier FL, Arsenijevic Y, Schorderet DF, McLaughlin PJ, Chung D, Traboulsi E, Marmorstein AD. Aberrant accumulation of EFEMPl underlies drusen formation in Malattia Leventinese and age- related macular degeneration. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2002 Oct l;99(20):13067-72

[0064] Klenotic PA, Munier FL, Marmorstein LY, Anand-Apte B. Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-3 (TIMP-3) is a binding partner of epithelial growth factor-containing fibulin-like extracellular matrix protein 1 (EFEMPl). Implications for macular degenerations. J Biol Chem. 2004 Jul 16;279(29):30469-73..

[0065] Albig AR, Neil JR, Schiemann WP. Fibulins 3 and 5 antagonize tumor angiogenesis in vivo. Cancer Res. 2006 Mar l;66(5):2621-9.

[0066] Fu L, Garland D, Yang Z, Shukla D, Rajendran A, Pearson E, Stone EM, Zhang K, Pierce EA. The R345W mutation in EFEMPl is pathogenic and causes AMD-like deposits in mice. Hum Mol Genet. 2007 Oct 15;16(20):2411-22.

[0067] McLaughlin PJ, Bakall B, Choi J, Liu Z, Sasaki T, Davis EC, Marmorstein AD, Marmorstein LY. Lack of fibulin-3 causes early aging and herniation, but not macular degeneration in mice. Hum Mol Genet. 2007 Dec 15;16(24):3059-70.

[0068] Yue W, Dacic S, Sun Q, Landreneau R, Guo M, Zhou W, Siegfried JM, Yu J, Zhang L. Frequent inactivation of RAMP2, EFEMPl and Duttl in lung cancer by promoter hypermethylation. Clin Cancer Res. 2007 Aug 1;13(15 Pt l):4336-44.

[0069] Invitrogen; pcDNA™3.1(+) pcDNA™3.1(-); Catalog nos. V790-20 and V795 -20; Version K, 10 November 2010 28-0104; User Manual.

[0070] Thermo Scientific Open Biosystems Expression Arrest TRIPZ Lentiviral shRNAmir; Technical Manual. [0071] Although the disclosure has been provided in the context of certain embodiments and examples, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the disclosure extends beyond the specifically described embodiments of polypeptide and nucleic acid sequences. Accordingly, the disclosure is exemplary and not intended to be limited by the specific disclosures of embodiments herein.