Bone Morphogenetic Protein-9 Compositions

The present invention relates to a novel family of purified proteins designated BMP-9 proteins and processes for obtaining them. These proteins may be used to induce bone and/or cartilage formation and in wound healing and tissue repair.

The marine MBP-9 DNA sequence (SEQ ID NO: 1) and amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO: 2) are set forth in FIG. 1. Human BMP-9 sequence is set forth in FIG. 3 (SEQ ID NO: 8 and SEQ ID NO: 9). It is contemplated that BMP-9 proteins are capable of inducing the formation of cartilage and/or bone. BMP-9 proteins may be further characterized by the ability to demonstrate cartilage and/or bone formation activity in the rat bone formation assay described below.

Murine BMP-9 is characterized by comprising amino acid #319 to #428 of FIG. (SEQ ID NO: 2 amino acid #1-110). Murine BMP-9 may be produced by culturing a cell transformed with a DNA sequence comprising nucleotide #610 to nucleotide #1893 as shown in FIG. 1 (SEQ ID NO: 1) and recovering and purifying from the culture medium a protein characterized by the amino acid sequence comprising amino acid #319 to #428 as shown in FIG. 1 (SEQ ID NO: 2) substantially free from other porteinanceous materials with which it is co-produced.

Human BMP-9 is expected to be homologous to murine BMP-9 and is characterized by comprising amino acid #1 (Ser, Ala, Gly) to #110 of FIG. 3 (SEQ ID NO: 9) (Arg). The invention includes methods for obtaining the DNA sequences encoding human BMP-9. This method entails utilizing the murine BMP-9 nucleotide sequence or portions thereof to design probes to screen libraries for the human gene or fragments thereof using standard techniques. Human BMP-9 may be produced by culturing a cell transformed with the BMP-9 DNA sequence and recovering and purifying 8MP-9 from the culture medium. The expressed protein is isolated, recovered, and purified from the culture medium. The parodied expressed protein is substantially free from other proteinaceous materials with which it is co-produced, as well as from other contaminants the recovered purified protein is contemplated to exhibit cartilage and/or bone formation activity. The proteins of the invention may be further characterized by the ability to demonstrate cartilage and/or bone formation activity in the rate bone formations assay described below.

Human BMP-9 maybe produced by culturing a cell transformed with a DNA sequence comprising nucleotide #124 to #453 as shown in SEQ ID NO: 8 and recovering and purifying from the culture medium a protein characterized by the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 9 from amino acid #1 to amino acid #110 substantially free from other proteinaceous materials with which it is co-produced.

Another aspect of the invention provides pharmaceutical compositions containing a therapeutically effective amount of a BMP-9 protein in a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle or carrier. BMP-9 compositions of the invention may be used in the formation of cartilage. These compositions may further be utilized for the formation of bone. BMP-9 compositions may also be used for wound heading and tissue repair. Compositions of the invention may further include at least one other therapeutically useful agent such as the BMP proteins BMP-1, BMP-2, BMP-3, BMP-4, BMP-5, BMP-6, and BMP-7 disclosed for instance in PCT publications WO88/00205, WO89/10409, and WO90/11366, and BMP-8, disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 07/641,204 filed Jan. 15, 1991, Ser. No. 07/525,357 filed May 16, 1990, and Ser. No. 07/800,364 filed Nov. 20, 1991.

The compositions of the invention may comprise, in addition to a BMP-9 protein, other therapeutically useful agents including growth factors such as epidermal growth factor (EGF), fibroblast growth factor (FGF), transforming growth factor (TGF-.alpha. and TGF-.beta.), and insulin-like growth factor (IGF). The compositions may also include an appropriate matrix for instance, for supporting the composition and providing a surface for bone and/or cartilage growth. The matrix may provide slow release of the osteoinductive protein and/or the appropriate environment for presentation thereof.

The BMP-9 compositions may be employed in methods for treating a number of bone and/or cartilage defects, periodontal disease and various types of wounds. These methods, according to the invention, entail administering to a patient needing such bone and/or cartilage formation wound healing or tissue repair, an effective amount of a BMP-9 protein. These methods may also entail the administration of a protein of the invention in conjunction with at least one of the novel BMP proteins disclosed in the co-owned applications described above. In addition, these methods may also include the administration of a BMP-9 protein with other growth factors including EGF, FGF, TGF-.alpha., TGF-.beta., and IGF.

Still a further aspect of the invention are DNA sequences coding for expression of a BMP-9, protein. Such sequences include the sequence of nucleotides in a 5' to 3' direction illustrated in FIG. 1 (SEQ ID NO: 1) and FIG. 3 (SEQ ID NO: 8) or DNA sequences which hybridize under stringent conditions with the DNA sequences of FIG. 1 or 3 and encode a protein having the ability to induce the formation of cartilage and/or bone. Finally, allelic or other variations of the sequences of FIG. 1 or 3, whether such nucleotide changes result in changes in the peptide sequence or not, are also included in the present invention.

A further aspect of the invention includes vectors comprising a DNA sequence as described above in operative association with an expression control sequence thereof. These vectors may be employed in a novel process for producing a DMP-9 protein of the invention in which a cell line transformed with a DNA sequence encoding a BMP-9 protein in operative association with an expression control sequence therefor, is cultured in a suitable culture medium and a BMP-9 protein is recovered and purified therefrom. This process may employ a number of known cells both prokaryotic and eukaryotic as host cells for expression of the polypeptide.

Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description and preferred embodiments thereof.

FIG. 1A, 1B, 1C and 1D comprises DNA sequence and derived amino acid sequence of murine BMP-9 from clone ML14a further described below SEQ. ID. NO: 1 and 2.

FIG. 2A and 2B comprises DNA sequence and derived amino acid sequence of human BMP-4 from lambda U20S-3 ATCC #40342, SEQ ID NO:3 and 4.

FIG. 3 comprises DNA sequence and derived amino acid sequence of human BMP-9 from .lambda. FIX/H6111 ATCC #75252, SEQ ID NO: 8 and 9.

The murine BMP-9 nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID NO: 1) and encoded amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO: 2) are depicted in FIG. 1. Purified murine BMP-9 proteins of the present invention are produced by culturing a host cell transformed wth a DNA sequence comprising the DNA coding sequence of FIG. 1 (SE ID NO: 1) from nucleotide #610 to nucleotide #1893 and recovering and purifying from the culture medium a protein which contains the amino acid sequence or a substantially homologous sequence as represented by amino acid #319 to #428 of FIG. 1 (SEQ ID NO: 2). The BMP-9 proteins recovered from the culture medium are purified by isolating them from other proteinaceous materials from which they are co-produced and from other contaminants present.

Human BMP-9 nucleotide and amino acid sequence is depicted in SEQ ID NO: 8 and 9. Mature human BMP-9 is expected to comprise amino acid #1 (Ser, Ala, Gly) to #110 (Arg).

Human BMP-9 may be produced by culturing a cell transformed with a DNA sequence comprising nucleotide #124 to #453 as shown in SEQ ID NO: 8 and recovering and purifying from the culture medium a protein characterized by the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 9 from amino acid #1 to amino acid #110 substantially free from other proteinaceous materials with which it is co-produced.

BMP-9 proteins maybe characterized by the ability to induce the formation of cartilage. BMP-9 proteins may be further characterized by the ability to induce the formation of bone. BMP-9 proteins may be further characterized by the ability to demonstrate cartilage and/or bone formations activity in the rat bone formation assay described below.

The BMP-9 proteins provided herein also include factors encoded by the sequences similar to those of FIG. 1 and 3 (SEQ ID NO's: 1 and 8), but into which modifications are sequence which may result in amino acid changes in the polypeptide) or deliberately engineered. For example, synthetic polypeptides may wholly or partially duplicate continuous sequences of the amino acid residues of FIG. 1 of FIG. 3 (SEQ ID NO's: 2 and 9). These sequences, by virtue of sharing primary, secondary, or tertiary structural and conformational characteristics with bone growth factor polypeptides of FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 may possess bone growth factor biological properties in common therewith. Thus, they may be employed as biologically active substitutes for naturally-occurring BMP-9 and other BMP-9 polypeptides in therapeutic processes.

Other specific mutations of the sequences of BMP-9 proteins described herein involve modifications of glycosylation sites. These modifications may involve O-linked or N-linked glycosylation sites. For instance, the absence of glycoslyation or only partial glycosylation results from amino acid substitution or deletion at asparagine-linked glycosylation recognition sites. These asparagine-linked glycoslyation recognition sites comprise tripeptide sequence which are specifically recognized by appropriate cellular glycosylation enzymes. These tripeptide sequences are either asparagine-X-thronine or asparagine-X-serine, where X is usually any amino acid. A variety of amino acid substitutions or deletions at one or both of the first or third amino acid positions of a glycosylation recognition site (and/or amino acid deletion at the second position) results in non-glycosylation at the modified tripeptide sequence.

The present invention also encompasses the novel DNA sequences, free of association with DNA sequences encoding other proteinaceous materials, and coding on expression for DMP-9 proteins. These DNA sequences include those depicted in FIG. 1 or FIG. 3 (SEQ ID NO's: 1 and 8) in a 5' to 3' direction and those sequences which hybridize thereto under stringent hybridization conditions [see T. Maniatis et al., Molecular Cloning (A Laboratory Manual), Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (1982), pages 387 to 389] and encode a protein having cartilage and/or bone inducing activity.

Similarly, DNA sequences which code for BMP-9 proteins coded for by the sequences of FIG. 1 or FIG. 3, but which differ in codon sequence due to the degeneracies of the genetic code or allelic variations (naturally-occurring base changes in the species population which may or may not result in an amino acid change) also encode the novel factors described herein. Variations in the DNA sequences of FIG. 1 or FIG. 3 (SEQ ID NO: 1 and 8) which are caused by point mutations or by induced modifications (including insertion, deletion, and substitution) to enhance the activity, half-life or production of the polypeptides encoded are also encompassed in the invention.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a novel method for producing BMP-9 proteins. The method of the present invention involves culturing a suitable cell line, which has been transformed with a DNA sequence encoding a BMP-9 protein of the invention, under the control of known regulatory sequences. The transformed host cells are cultured and the BMP-9 proteins recovered and purified from the culture medium. The purified proteins are substantially free from other proteins with which they are co-produced as well as from other contaminants.

Suitable cells or cell lines may be mammalian cells, such as Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO). The selection of suitable mammalian host cells and methods for transformation, culture, amplification, screening, product production and purification are known in the art. See, e.g., Gething and Sambrook, Nature, 293: 620-625 (1981), or alternatively, Kaufman et al., Mol. Cell. Biol., 5(7): 1750-1759 (1985) or Howley et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,419,446. Another suitable mammalian cell line, which is described in the accompanying examples, is the monkey COS-1 cell line. The mammalian cell CV-1 may also be suitable.

Bacterial cells may also be suitable hosts. For example, the various strains of E. coli (e.g., HB101, MC1061) are well-known as host cells in the field of biotechnology. Various strains of B. subtilis, Pseudomonas, other bacilli and the like may also be employed in this method.

Many strains of yeast cells known to those skilled in the art may also be available as host cells for expression of the polypeptides of the present invention. Additionally, where desired, insect cells may be utilized as host cells in the method of the present invention. See, e.g. Miller et al., Genetic Engineering, 8: 277-298 (Plenum Press 1986) and references cit therein.

Another aspect of the present invention provides vectors for use in the method of expression of these novel BMP-9 polypeptides. Preferably the vectors contain the full novel DNA sequences described above which encode the novel factors of the invention. Additionally the vectors also contain appropriate expression control sequences permitting expression of the BMP-9 protein sequences. Alternatively, vectors incorporating modified sequences as described above are also embodiments of the present invention. The vectors may be employed in the method of transforming cell lines and contain selected regulatory sequences in operative association with the DNA coding sequences of the invention which are capable of directing the replication and expression thereof in selected host cells. Regulatory sequences for such vectors are known to hose skilled in the art and may be selected depending upon the host cells. Such selection is routine and does not form part of the present invention.

A protein of the present invention, which induces cartilage and/or bone formation in circumstances where bone is not normally formed, has application in the healing of bone fractures and cartilage defects in humans and other animals. Such a preparation employing a BMP-9 protein may have prophylactic use in closed as well as open fracture reduction and also in the improved fixation of artificial joints. De novo bone formation induced by an osteogenic agent contributes to the repair of congenital, trauma induced, or oncologic resection induced craniofacial defects, and also is useful in cosmetic plastic surgery. A BMP-9 protein may be used in the treatment of periodontal disease, and in other tooth repair processes. Such agents may provide an environment to attract bone-forming cells, stimulate growth of bone-forming cells or induce differentiation of progenitors of bone-forming cells, BMP-9 polypeptides of the invention may also be useful in the treatment of osteporosis. A variety of osteogenic, cartilage-inducing and bone inducing factors have been described. See, e.g. European patent applications 148,155 and 169,016 for discussions thereof.

The proteins of the invention may also be used in wound healing and related tissue repair. The types of wounds include, but are not limited to burns, incisions and ulcers. (See, e.g. PCT Publication WO80/01106 for discussion of wound healing and related tissue repair).

It is further contemplated that proteins of the invention may increase neuronal survival and therefore be useful in transplantation and treatment of conditions exhibiting a decrease in neuronal survival.

A further aspect of the invention is a therapeutic method and composition for repairing fractures and other conditions related to cartilage and/or bone defects or periodontal diseases. The invention further comprises therapeutic methods and compositions for wound healing and tissue repair. Such compositions comprise a therapeutically effective amount of at least one of the BMP-9 proteins of the invention in admixture with a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle, carrier or matrix.

It is expected that the proteins of the invention may act in concert with or perhaps synergistically with other related proteins and growth factors. Further therapeutic methods and compositions of the invention therefore comprise a therapeutic amount of at least one BMP-9 protein of the invention with a therapeutic amount of at least one of the other BMP proteins disclosed in co-owned applications described above. Such combinations may comprise separate molecules of the BMP proteins or heteromolecules comprised of different BMP moieties. For example, a method and composition of the invention may comprise a disulfide linked diner comprising a BMP-9 protein subunit and a subunit from one of the "BMP" proteins described above. A further embodiment may comprise a heterodimer of BMP-9 moieties. Further, BMP-9 proteins may be combined with other agents beneficial to the treatment of the bone and/or cartilage defect, wound, or tissue in question. These agents include various growth factors such as epidermal growth factor (EGF), platelet derived growth factor (PDGF), transforming growth factors (TGF-.alpha.and TGF-.beta.), and insulin-like growth factor (IGF).

The preparation and formulation of such physiologically acceptable protein compositions, having due regard to pH, isotonicity, stability and the like, is within the skill of the art. The therapeutic compositions are also presently valuable for veterinary applications due to the lack of species specificity in BMP proteins. Particularly domestic animals and thoroughbred horses in addition to humans are desired patients for such treatment with BMP-9 of the present invention.

The therapeutic method includes administering the composition topically, systemically, or locally as an implant or derive. When administered, the therapeutic composition for use in this invention is, of course, in a pyrogen-free, physiologically acceptable form. Further, the composition may desirably be encapsulated or injected in a viscous form for delivery to the site of bone, cartilage or tissue damage. Topical administration may be suitable for wound healing and tissue repair. Therapeutically useful agents other than the BMP-9 proteins which may also optionally be included in the composition as described above, may alternatively or additionally, be administered simultaneously or sequentially with the BMP composition in the methods of the invention.

Preferably for bone and/or cartilage formation, the composition would include a matrix capable of delivering BMP-9 or other BMP proteins to the site of bone and/or cartilage damage, providing a structure for the developing bone and cartilage and optimally capable of being resorbed into the body. The matrix may provide slow release of BMP-9 and/or the appropriate environment for presentation thereof. Such matrices may be formed of materials presently in use for other implanted medical applications.

The choice of matrix material is based on biocompatibility, biodegradability, mechanical properties, cosmetic appearance and interface properties. The particular application of the BMP-9 compositions will define the appropriate formulation. Potential matrices for the compositions may be biodegradable and chemically defined calcium sulfate, tricalciumphosphate, hydroxyapatite, polylactic acid and polyanhydrides. Other potential materials are biodegradable and biologically well defined, such as bone or dermal collagen. Further matrices are comprised of pure proteins or extracellular matrix components. Other potential matrices are nonbiodegradable and chemically defined, such as sintered hydroxyapatite, bioglass, aluminates, or other ceramics. Matrices may be comprised of combinations of any of the above mentioned types of material, such as polylactic acid and hydroxyapatite or collagen and tricalciumphosphate. The bioceramics may be altered in composition, such as in calcium-aluminate-phosphate and processing to alter pore size, particle size, particle shape, and biodegradability.

The dosage regimen will be determined by the attending physician considering various factors which modify the action of the BMP-9 protein, e.g. amount of bone weight desired to be formed, the site of bone damage, the condition of the damaged bone, the size of a wound, type of damaged tissue, the patient's age, sex, and diet, the severity of any infection, time of administration and other clinical factors. The dosage may vary with the type of matrix used in the reconstitution and the types of BMP proteins in the composition. The addition of other known growth factors, such as IGF I (insulin like growth factor I), to the final composition, may also effect the dosage. Progress can be monitored by periodic assessment of bone growth and/or repair, for example, x-rays, histomorphometric determinations and tetracycline labeling.

The following examples illustrate practice of the present invention in recovering and characterizing murine BMP-9 protein and employing it to recover the human and other BMP-9 proteins, obtaining the human proteins and expressing the proteins via recombinant techniques.

Murine BMP-9

750,000 recombinants of a mouse liver cDNA library made in the vector lambdaZAP (Stratagene/Catalog #935302) are plated and duplicate nitrocellulose replicas made. A fragment of human BMP-4 DNA corresponding to nucleotides 1330-1627 of FIG. 2 (SEQ ID NO: 3) (the human BMP-4sequence) is .sup.32 P-labeled by the random priming procedure of Feinberg et al. [Anal. Biochem. 132: 6-13 (1983)] and hybridized to both sets of filters in SHB at 60.degree. C. for 2 to 3 days. Both sets of filters are washed under reduced stringency conditions (4X SSC, 0.1% SDS at 60.degree. C.). Many duplicate hybridizing recombinants of various intensities (approximately 92) are noted. 50 of the strongest hybridizing recombinant bacteriophage are plaque purified and their inserts are transferred to the plasmid Bluescript SK (+/-) according to the in vivo excision protocol described by the manufacturer (Stratagene). DNA sequence analysis of several recombinants indicate that they encode a protein homologous to ocher BMP proteins and other proteins in the TGF-.beta. family. The DNA sequence and derived amino acid sequence of one recombinant, designated Mn14a, is set forth in FIG. 1. (SEQ ID NO: 1)

The nucleotide sequence of clone ML14a contains an open reading frame of 1284 bp, encoding a BMP-9 protein of 428 amino acids. The encoded 428 amino acid BMP-9 protein is contemplated to be the primary translation product as the coding sequence is preceded by 609 bp of 5' untranslated sequence with stop codons in all three reading frames. The 428 amino acid sequence predicts a BMP-9 protein with a molecular weight of 48,000 daltons.

Based on knowledge of other BMP proteins and other proteins within the TGF-.beta. family, it is predicted that the precursor polypeptide would be cleaved at the multibasic sequence ARG-ARG-LYS-ARG amino acids #-4 to #-1 of SEQ ID NO:1 in agreement with a proposed consensus proteolytic processing sequence of ARG-X-X-ARG amino acids #-4 to #-1 of SEQ ID NO:1. Cleavage of the BMP-9 precursor polypeptide at this location would generate a 110 amino acid mature peptide beginning with the amino acid SER at position #319. of FIG. 1C and amino acid #1 of SEQ ID NO: 2. The processing of BMP-9 into the mature form is expected to involve dimerization and removal of the N-terminal region in a manner analogous to the processing of the related protein TGF-.beta. [L. E. Gentry, et al., Molec. & Cell. Biol., 8: 4162 (1988); R. Derynck, et al., Nature 316: 701 (1985)].

It is contemplated therefore that the mature active species of murine BMP-9 comprises a homodimer of 2 polypeptide subunits, each subunit comprising amino acids #319-#428 of FIG. 1C and amino acid #1 to #110 of SEQ ID NO: 2 with a predicted molecular weight of approximately 12,000 daltons. Further active species are contemplated comprising amino acids #326-#428 of FIG. 1C and amino acid #8-#110 of SEQ ID NO: 2 thereby including the first conserved cysteine residue. As with other members of the BMP and TGF-.beta. family of proteins, the carboxy-terminal region of the BMP-9 protein exhibits greater sequence conservation than the more amino-terminal portion. The percent amino acid identity of the murine BMP-9 protein in the cysteine-rich C-terminal domain (amino acids #326-#428 of FIG. 1C and amino acid #8-#110 of SEQ ID NO: 2) to the corresponding region of other human BMP proteins and other proteins within the TGF-.beta. family is as follows: BMP-2, 53%; BMP-3, 43%; BMP-4, 53%; BMP-5, 55%; BMP-6, 55%; BMP-7, 53%; Vg1, 50%; GDF-1, 43%; TGF-.beta.1, 32%; TGF-.beta.2, 34%; TGF-.beta.3, 34%; inhibit .beta.(B), 34%; and inhibin .beta.(A), 42%.

Human BMP-9

Murine and human osteoinductive factor genes are presumed to be significantly homologous, therefore the murine coding sequence or a portion thereof is used as a probe to screen a human genomic library or as a probe to identify a human cell line or tissue which synthesizes the analogous human cartilage and/or bone protein. A human genomic library (Toole et al., supra) may be screened with such a probe, and presumptive positives isolated and DNA sequence obtained. Evidence that this recombinant encodes a portion of the human BMP-9 relies of the murine/human protein and gene structure homologies.

Once a recombinant bacteriophage containing DNA encoding portion of the human cartilage and/or bone inductive factor molecule is obtained, the human coding sequence can be used as a probe to identify a human cell line or tissue which synthesizes BMP-9. Alternatively, the murine coding sequence can be used as a probe to identify such human cell line or tissue. Briefly described, RNA is extracted from a selected cell or tissue source and either electrophoresed on a formaldehyde agarose gel and transferred to nitrocellulose, or reacted with formaldehyde and spotted on nitrocellulose directly. The nitrocellulose is then hybridized to a probe derived from a coding sequence of the murine or human BMP-9. mRNA is selected by oligo (dT) cellulose chromatography and cDNA is synthesized and cloned in lambda gt10 or lambada ZAP by established techniques (Toole et al., spura).

Additional methods known to those skilled in the art may be used to isolate the human and other species' BMP-9 proteins of the invention.

A. Isolation of Human BMP-9 DNA

One million recombinants of a human genomic library constructed in the vector .lambda.FIX (Stratagene catalog #944201) are plated and duplicate nitrocellulose replicas made. Two oligonucleotides probes designed on the basis of nucleotides #1665-#1704 and #1837-#1876 of the sequence set forth in FIG. 1 (SEQ ID NO:1) are synthesized on an automated DNA synthesizer. The sequence of these two oligonucleotides in indicated below:

These two oligonucleotide probes are radioactively labelled with .gamma..sup.32 P-ATP and each is hybridized to one set of the duplicate nitrocellulose replicas in SHB at 65.degree. C. and washed with 1X SSC, 0.1% SDS at 65.degree. C. Three recombinants which hybridize to both oligonucleotide probes are noted. All three positively hybridizing recombinants are plaque purified, bacteriophage plate socks are prepared and bacteriophage DNA is isolated from each. The oligonucleotide hybridizing regions of one of these recombinants, designated HG111, is localized to a 1.2 kb Pst I/Xba I fragment. This fragment is subcloned into a plasmid vector (pGEM-3) and DNA sequence analysis is performed HG111 was deposited with the ATCC, 12301 Parklawn Drive, Rockville, Md. USA on Jun. 16, 1992 under the requirements of the Budapest Treaty and designated as ATCC #75252. This subclone is designated pGEM-111. A portion of the DNA sequence of clone pGEM-111 is set forth in FIG. 3 (SEQ ID NO:8/ HUMAN BMP-9 sequence). This sequence encodes the entire mature region of human BMP-9 and a portion of the propeptide. It should be noted that this sequence consists of preliminary data. Particularly, the propeptide region is subject to further analysis and characterization. For example, nucleotides #1 through #3 (TGA) encode a translation stop which may be incorrect due to the preliminary nature of the sequence. It is predicted that additional sequences present in both pGEM-111 (the 1.2 kb PstI/XbaI fragment of HG111 subcloned into pGEM) and HG111 encode additional amino acids of the human BMP-9 propeptide region. Based on knowledge of other BMPs and other proteins within the TGF-.beta. family, it is predicted that the precursor polypeptide would be cleaved at the multibasic sequence ARG-ARG-LYS-ARG (amino acids #-4 through #-1 of SEQUENCE ID NO:9) in agreement with a proposed consensus proteolytic processing sequence ARG-X-X-ARG amino acids #-4 to #1 to SEQ ID NO:1. Cleavage of the human BMP-9 precursor polypeptide at this location would generate a 110 amino acid mature peptide beginning with the amino acid SER at position #1 of SEQUENCE ID NO: 9 (encoded by nucleotides #124 through #126 of SEQUENCE ID NO:8). The processing of human BMP-9 into the mature form is expected to involve dimerization and removal of the N-terminal region in a manner analogous to the processing of the related protein TGF-.beta. [L. E. Gentry, et al., Molec. & Cell. Biol. 8: 4162 (1988); R. Derynck, et al., Nature 316: 701 (1985)].

It is contemplated therefore that the mature active species of human BMP-9 comprises a homodimer of two polypeptide subunits, each subunit comprising amino acids #1 through #110 of SEQUENCE. ID NO:9, with a predicted molecular weight of 12,000 daltons. Further active species are contemplated comprising amino acids #8 through #110 thereby including the first conserved cysteine residue. As with other members of the BMP and TGF-.beta. family of proteins, the carboxy-terminal portion of the human BMP-9 sequence exhibits greater sequence conservation than the amino terminal portion. the percent amino acid identity of the human BMP-9 protein in the cysteine-rich C-terminal domain (amino acids #8 through #110) to the corresponding region of other human BMP proteins and other proteins within the TGF-.beta. family is as follows: BMP-2, 52%; BMP-3, 40%; BMP-4, 52%; BMP-5, 55%; BMP-6, 55%; BMP-7, 53%; murine BMP-9, 97%; Vg1, 50%; GDF-1, 44%; TGF-.beta.1, 32%; TGF-.beta.2, 32%; TGF-.beta.3; 32%; inhibin .beta. (B), 35%; and inhibin .beta. (A), 41%.

Rosen Modified Sampath-Reddi Assay

A modified version of the rat bone formation assay described in Sampath and Reddi, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 80: 6591-6595 (1983) is used to evaluate bone and/or cartilage activity of the BMP proteins. This modified assay is herein called the Rosen-modified Sampath-Reddi assay. The ethanol precipitation step of the Sampath-Reddi procedure is replaced by dialyzing (if the composition is a solution) or diafiltering (if the composition is a suspension) the fraction to be assayed against water. The solution or suspension is then redissolved in 1.1% TGA, and the resulting solution added to 20 mg of rat matrix. A mock rat matrix sample not treated with the protein serves as a control. This material is frozen and lyophilized and the resulting powder enclosed in #5 gelatin capsules. The capsules are implanted subcutaneously in the abdominal thoracic area of 21-49 day old male Long Evans rats. The implants are removed after 7-14 days. Half of each implant is used for alkaline phosphates analysis [See, A. H. Reddi et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 69: 1601 (1972)].

The other half of each implant is fixed and processed for histological analysis. 1 .mu.m glycolmethacrylate sections are stained with Von Kossa and acid fuschin to score the amount of induced bone and cartilage formation present in each implant. The terms +1 through +5 represents the area of each histological section of an implant occupied by new bone and/or cartilage cells and matrix. A score of +5 indicates that greater than 50% of the implant is new bone and/or cartilage produced as direct result of protein in the implant. A score of +4, +3, +2 and +1 would indicate that greater than 40%, 30%, 20% and 10% respectively of the implant contains new cartilage and/or bone. In a modified scoring method, three non-adjacent sections are evaluated from each implant and averaged. "+/-" indicates tentative identification of cartilage or bone; "+1" indicates >10% of each section being new cartilage or bone; "+2", >25%; "+3", >50%; "+4", -75%; "+5", >80%. A "-" indicates that the implant is not recovered.

It is contemplated that the dose response nature of the BMP-9 containing samples of the matrix samples will demonstrate that the amount of bone and/or cartilage formed increases with the amount of BMP-9 in the sample. It is contemplated that the control samples will not result in any bone and/or cartilage formation.

As with other cartilage and/or bone inductive proteins such as the above-mentioned "BMP" proteins, the bone and/or cartilage formed is expected to be physically confined to the space occupied by the matrix. Samples are also analyzed by SDS gel electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing followed by autoradiography. The activity is correlated with the protein bands and pI. To estimate the purity of the protein in a particular faction an extinction coefficient of 1 OD/mg-cm is used as an estimate for protein and the protein is run on SDS PAGE followed by silver staining or radioiodination and autoradiography.

Expression of BMP-9

In order to produce murine, human or other mammalian BMP-9 proteins, the DNA encoding it is transferred into an appropriate expression vector and introduced into mammalian cells or other preferred eukaryotic or prokaryotic hosts by conventional genetic engineering techniques. The preferred expression system for biologically active recombinant human BMP-9 is contemplated to be stably transformed mammalian cells.

One skilled in the art can construct mammalian expression vectors by employing the sequence of FIG. 1 (SEQ ID NO: 1) or FIG. 3 (SEQ ID NO: 8), or other DNA sequences encoding BMP-9 proteins or other modified sequences and known vectors, such as pCD [Okayama et al., Mol. Cell Biol., 2: 161-170 (1982)], pJL3, pJL4 [Gough et al., EMBO J. 4: 645-653 (1985)] and pMT2 CXM.

The mammalian expression vector pMT2 CXM is a derivative of p91023 (b) (Wong et al., Science 228: 810-815, 1985) differing from the latter in that it contains the ampicillin resistance gene in place of the tetracycline resistance gene and further contains a XhoI site for insertion of cDNA clones. The functional elements of pMT2 CXM have been described (Kaufman R. J., 1985, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 82: 689-693) and include the adenovirus VA genes, the SV40 origin of replication including the 72 bp enhancer, the adenovirus major later promoter including a 5' splice site and the majority of the adenovirus tripartite leader sequence present on adenovirous late mRNAs, a 3' splice acceptor site, a DHFR insert, the SV40 early polyadenylation site (SV40), and pBR322 sequences needed for propagation in E. coli.

Plasmid pMT2 CXM is obtained by EcoRI digestion of pMT2-WVF, which has been deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC)., Rockville, Md. (USA) under accession number ATCC 67122. EcoRI digestion excises the cDNA insert present in pMT2-VWF, yielding pMT2 in linear form which can be ligated and used to transform E. coli HB 101 or DH-5 to ampicillin resistance. Plasmid pMT2 DNA can be prepared by conventional methods. pMT2 CXM is then constructed using loopout/in mutagenesis [Morinaga, et al., Biotechnology 84: 636 (1984). This removes bases 1075 to 1145 relative to the Hind III site near the SV40 origin of replication and enhancer sequences of pMT2. In addition it inserts the following sequence:

at nucleotide 1145. This sequence contains the recognition site for the restriction encodnuclease Xho I. A derivative of pMT2CXM, termed pMT23, contains recognition sites for the restriction endonucleases PstI, Eco RI, SalI and XhoI. Plasmid pMT2 CXM and pMT23 DNA may be prepared by conventional methods.

pEMC2B1 derived from pMT21 may also be suitable in practice of the invention. pMT21 is derived from pMT2 which is derived from pMT2-VWF. As described above EcoRI digestion excises the cDNA insert present in pMT-VWF, yielding pMT2 in linear from which can be ligated and used to transform E. Coli HB 101 or DH-5 to ampicillin resistance. Plasmid pMT2 DNA can be prepared by conventional methods.

pMT21 is derived from pMT2 through the following two modifications. First, 76 bp of the 5' untranslated region of the DHFR cDNA including a stretch of 19 G residues from G/C tailing for cDNA cloning is deleted. In this process, a XhoI site is inserted to obtain the following sequence immediately upstream from DHFR: ##STR1## Second, a unique ClaI site is introduced by digestion with EcoRV and XbaI, treatment with Klenow fragment of DNA polymerase I, and ligation to a ClaI linker (CATCGATG). This deletes a 250 bp segment from the adenovirus associated RNA (VAI) region but does not interfere with VAI RNA gene expression or function. pMT21 is digested with EcoRI and XhoI, and used to derive the vector pEMC2B1.

A portion of the EMCV leader is obtained from pMT2-ECAT1 [S. K. Jung, et al, J. Virol 63: 1651-1660.(1989)] by digestion with Eco RI and PstI, resulting in a 2752 bp fragment. This fragment is digested with TaqI yielding an Eco RI-TaqI fragment of 508 bp which is purified by electrophoresis on low melting agarose gel. A 68 bp adapter and its complementary strand are synthesized with a 5'TaqI protruding end and a 3' XhoI protruding end which has the following sequence: ##STR2## This Sequence matches the EMC virus leader sequence from nucleotide 763to 827. It also changes the ATG at position 10 within the EMC virus leader to an ATT and is followed by a XhoI site. A three way ligation of the pMT21 Eco RI-XhoI fragment, the EMC virus EcoRI-TaqI fragment, and the 68 bp oligonucleotide adapter TaqI-XhoI adapter resulting in the vector pEMC2.beta.1.

This vector contains the SV40 origin of replication and enhancer, the adenovirus major late promoter, a cDNA copy of the majority of the adenovirus tripartite leader sequence, a small hybrid intervening sequence, an SV40 polyadenylation signal and the adenovirus VA I gene, DHFR and .beta.-lactamase markers and an EMC sequence; in appropriate relationships to direct the high level expression of the desired cDNA in mammalian cells.

The construction of vectors may involve modification of the BMP-9 DNA sequences. For instance, BMP-9 cDNA can be modified by removing the non-coding nucleotides on the 5' and 3' ends of the coding region. The deleted non-coding nucleotides may or may not be replaced by other sequences known to be beneficial for expression. These vectors are transformed into appropriate host cells for expression of BMP-9 proteins.

One skilled in the art can manipulate the sequences of FIG. 1 or FIG. 3 (SEQ ID NO: 1 and 8) by eliminating or replacing the mammalian regulatory sequences flanking the coding sequence with bacterial sequences to create bacterial vectors for intracellular or extracellular expression by bacterial cells. For example, the coding sequences could be further manipulated (e.g. ligated to other known linkers or modified by deleting non-coding sequences therefrom or altering nucleotides therein by other known techniques). The modified BMP-9 coding sequence could then be inserted into a known bacterial vector using procedures such as described in T. Taniguchi et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 77: 5230-5233 (1980). This exemplary bacterial Vector could then be transformed into bacterial host cells and a BMP-9 protein expressed thereby: For a strategy for producing extracellular expression of BMP-9 proteins in bacterial cells, see, e.g. European patent application EPA 177,343.

Similar manipulations can be performed for the construction of an insect vector [See, e.g. procedures described in published European patent application 155,476] for expression in insect cells. A yeast vector could also be constructed employing yeast regulatory sequences for intracellular or extracellular expression of the factors of the present invention by yeast cells. [See, e.g., procedures described in published PCT application WO86/00639 and European patent application EPA 123,289].

A method for producing high levels of a BMP-9 protein of the invention in mammalian cells may involve the construction of cells containing multiple copies of the heterologous. BMP-9 gene. The heterologous gene is linked to an amplifiable marker, e.g. the dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) gene for which cells containing increased gene copies can be selected for propagation in increasing concentrations of methotrexate (MTX) according to the procedures of Kaufman and Sharp, J. Mol. Biol., 159: 601-629 (1982). This approach can be employed with a number of different cell types.

For example, a plasmid containing a DNA sequence for a BMP-9 of the invention in operative association with other plasmid sequences enabling expression thereof and the DHFR expression plasmid pAdA26SV(A)3 [Kaufman and sharp, Mol. Cell. Biol., 2: 1304 (1982)] can be co-introduced into DHFR-deficient CHO cells, DUKX-BII, by various methods including calcium phosphate coprecipitation and transfection, electroporation or protoplast fusion. DHFR expressing transformants are selected for growth in alpha media with dialyzed fetal calf serum, and subsequently selected for amplification by growth in increasing concentrations Of MTX (e.g. sequential steps in 0.02, 0.2, 1.0 and 5 uM MTX) as described in Kaufman et al., Mol Cell Biol., 5: 1750 (1983). Transformants are cloned, and biologically active BMP-9 expression is monitored by the Rosen-modified Sampath--Reddi rat bone formation assay described above in Example III. BMP-9 expression should increase with increasing levels of MTX resistance. BMP-9 polypeptides are characterized using standard techniques known in the art such as pulse labeling with [35S] methionine or cysteine and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Similar procedures can be followed to produce other related BMP-9 proteins.

A. BMP-9 Vector construction

In order to produce human BMP-9 proteins of the invention DNA sequences encoding the mature region of the human BMP-9 protein may be joined to DNA sequences encoding the propeptide region of the murine BMP-9 protein. This murine/human hybrid DNA sequence is inserted into an appropriate expression vector and introduced into mammalian cells or other preferred eukaryotic or prokaryotic hosts by conventional genetic engineering techniques. The construction of this murine/human BMP-9 containing expression plasmid is described below. A derivative of the human BMP-9 sequence (SEQ ID NO:8) comprising the nucleotide sequence from nucleotide #105 to #470 is specifically amplified. The following oligonucleotides are utilized as primers to allow the amplification of nucleotides #105 to #470 of the human BMP-9 sequence (SEQ ID NO:8) from clone pGEM-111 described above.

This procedure generates the insertion of the nucleotide sequence ATCGGGCCCCT immediately preceeding nucleotide #105 and the insertion of the nucleotide sequence GAATTCGCT immediately following nucleotide #470. The addition of these sequences results in the creation of an Apa I and EcOR I restriction endonuclease site at the respective ends of the specifically amplified DNA fragment. The resulting 374 bp Apa I/EcoR I fragment is subcloned into the plasmid vector pGEM-7Zf(+) (Promega catalog#p2251) which has been digested with Apa I and EcoR I. The resulting clone is designated phBMP9mex-1.

The following oligonucleotides are designed on the basis of murine BMP-9 sequences (SEQ ID NO:1) and are modified to facilitate the construction of the murine/human expression plasmid referred to above: ##STR3## These oligonucleotides contain complimentary sequences which upon addition to each other facilitate the annealing (base pairing) of the two individual sequences, resulting in the formation of a double stranded synthetic DNA linker (designated LINK-1) in a manner indicated below: ##STR4## This DNA linker (LINK-1) contains recognition sequences of restriction endonucleases needed to facilitate subsequent manipulations required to construct the murine/human expression plasmid, as well as sequences required for maximal expression of heterologous sequences in mammalian cell expression systems. More specifically (referring to the sequence numbering of oligonucleotide #5/LINK-1): nucleotides #1-#11 comprise recognition sequences for the restriction endonucleases BamH I and Sal I, nucleotides #11-#15 allow for maximal expression of heterologous sequences in mammallian cell expression systems, nucleotides #16-#31 correspond to nucleotides #610-#625 of the murine BMP-9 sequence (SEQ ID NO:1), nucleotides #32-#33 are inserted to facilitate efficient restriction digestion of two adjacent restriction encodnuclease sites (Eco0109 I and Xba I), nucleotides #34-#60 correspond to nucleotides #1515-#1541 of the murine BMP-9 sequence (SEQ ID NO:1) except that nucleotide #58 of synthetic oligonucleotide #5 is a G rather than the A which appears at position #1539 of SEQ ID NO: 1 (This nucleotide conversion results in the creation of an Apa I restriction endonuclease recognition sequence, without altering the amino acid sequence it is intended to encode, to facilitate further manipulations of the murine/human hybrid expression plasmid. Link-1 (the double stranded product of the annealing of oligonucleotides #5 and #6) is subcloned into the plasmid vector pGEM-7Zf(+) which has been digested with the restriction endonucleases Apa I and BamH I. This results in a plasmid in which the sequences normally present between the Apa I and BamH I sites of the pGEM-7Zf(+) plasmid polylinker are replaced with the sequences of LINK-1 described above. The resulting plasmid clone is designated pBMP-9 link.

pBMP-9link is digested with the restriction endonucleases BamH I and Xba I resulting in the removal nucleotides #1-#34 of LINK-1 (refer to the numbering of oligo #5). Clone ML14a, which contains an insert comprising the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1, is also digested with the restriction endonucleases BamH I and Xba I resulting in the removal of sequences comprising nucleotides #1-#1515 of SEQUENCE IN NO:1 (murine BMP-9). This BamH I/Xba I fragment of mouse BMP-9 is isolated from the remainder of the ML14a plasmid clone and subcloned into the BamH I/Xba I sites generated by the removal of the synthetic linker sequences described above. The resulting clone is designated p302.

The p302 clone is digested with the restriction endonuclease EcoO109 I resulting in the excision of nucleotides corresponding to nucleotides #621-#1515 of the murine BMP-9 sequence (SEQ ID No:1) and nucleotides #35-#59 of LINK-1 (SEQ ID NO:16) (refer to numbering of oligonucleotide #5). It should be noted that the Ape I restriction site created in LINK-1 by the A to G conversion described above is a subset of the recognition sequence of EcoO109 I, therefore digestion of p302 with EcoO109 I cleaves at the Ape I site as well as the naturally occuring murine EcoO109 I (location #619-#625 of SEQ ID NO:1) resulting in the excision of a 920 bp Eco0109 I/EeoC109 I (Ape I) fragment comprising the sequences described above. This 920 EcoO109 I/EcoO109 I (Ape I) fragment is isolated from the remainder of the p302 plasmid clone and subcloned into clone pBMP-9link which has been similarly digested with EcoO109 It should be noted that the nucleotides GG (#32-#33 of oligonucleotide #5) (SEQ ID NO:14) originally designed to facilitate a more complete digestion of the two adjacent restriction sites EcoO109 I and Xba I of LINK-1, which is now a part of pBMP-9link (described above), results in the creation of Dcm methylation recognition sequence. The restriction nucleuse EcoO109 I is sensitive to Dcm methylation and therefore cleavage of this sequence (nucleotides #25-#31 of oligoeucleotide #5/LINK-I) (SEQ ID NO:14/16) by the restriction endonuclease EcoO109 I is prevented at this site. Therefore the plasmid clone pBMP-9link is cleaved at the Ape I site but not at the EcoO109 I site upon digestion with the restriction endonuclease EcoO109 I as described above, preventing the intended removal of the sequences between the EcoO109 I and Xba I site of LINK-1 (#32-#55 defined by the numbering of oligonucleotide #5) (SEQ. ID NO:14). This results in the insertion of the 920 bp EcoO109 I/Apa I fragment at the EcoO109 I (Apa I) site of pBMP-9link. The resulting clone is designated p318.

Clone p318 is digested with the restriction endonucleases Sal I and Apa I, resulting in the excision of sequences comprising nucleotides #6-#56 of LINK-1 (SEQ ID NO:16) (refer to oligo #5 for location), nucleotides #621-#1515 of murine BMP-9 (SEQ ID NO:1), and nucleotides #35-#60 of LINK-1 (SEQ ID NO:16) (refer to oligo #5 for location). The resulting 972 bp Sal I/Apa I fragment described above is isolated from the remainder of the p318 plasmid clone and will be utilized in subsequent manipulations.

the clone pHBMP9mex-1 (described above), which contains DNA sequences which encode the entire mature region and portions of the propeptide of the human BMP-9 protein, is digested with the restriction endonucleases Apa I and EcoR I. This results in the excision of a 374 bp fragment comprising nucleotides #105-#470 of the human BMP-9 sequence (SEQ ID NO:8) and the additional nucleotides of oligonucleotide primers #3 and #4 which contain the recognition sequences for the restriction endonucleases Apa I and EcoR I. This 374 bp Apa I/EcoR I fragment is combined with the 972 bp Sal I/Apa I fragment from p138 (isolation described above) and ligated to the mammalian cell expression plasmid pED6 (a derivative of pEMC2.beta.1) which has been digested with Sal I and EcoR I. The resulting clone is designated p324.

The clone ML14a (murine BMP-9) is digested with EcoO109 I and Xba I to generate a fragment comprising nucleotides #621-#1515 of SEQ ID NO:1.

The following oligonucleotides are synthesized on an automated DNA synthesizer and combined such that their complimentary sequences can base pair (anneal) with each other to generate a double stranded synthetic DNA linker designated LINK-2;

This double stranded synthetic DNA linker (LINK-2) anneals in such a way that it generates single stranded ends which are compatible to DNA fragments digested with Sal I (one end) or EcoO109 I (the other end) as indicated below: ##STR5##

This LINK-2 synthetic DNA linker is ligated to the 895 bp Eco0109 I/Xba I fragment comprising nucleotides #621-#1515 of murine BMP-9 (SEQ ID NO:1) described above. This results in a 915 bp Sal I/Xb I fragment.

The clone p324 is digested with Sal I/Xba I to remove sequences comprising nucleotides #6-#56 of LINK-1 (SEQ ID NO: 16) (refer to oligo #5 for location) and nucleotides #621-#1515 of murine BMP-9 (SEQ ID NO:1). The sequences comprising nucleotides #35-#60 of LINK-1 (SEQ ID NO:16) (refer to oligo #5 for location ) and the sequences comprising the 374 bp Apa I/EcoR I fragment (human BMP-9 sequences) derived from phBMP9mex-1 remain attached to the pED6 backbone. The 915 bp Sal I/Xba I fragment comprising LINK-2 sequences and nucleotides #621-#1515 of murine BMP-9 (SEQ ID NO:1) is ligated into the p324 clone from which the Sal I to Xba I sequences described above have been removed.

The resulting plasmid is designated BMP9 fusion and comprises LINK-2, nucleotides #621-#1551 of murine BMP-9 (SEQ ID NO:1), nucleotides #35-#59 of LINK-1 (SEQ ID NO:16) (refer to the numbering of oligonucleotide #5) , and the 374 bp Apa I/EcoR I fragment (human BMP-9) derived from clone pBMP9max-1 (describe above) inserted between the Sal I and EcoR I sites of the mammalian cell expression vector pED6.

BMP9 fusion is transfected into CHO cells using standard techniques known to those having ordinary skill in the art to create stable cell lines capable of expressing human BMP-9 protein. The cell lines are cultured under suitable culture conditions and the BMP-9 protein is isolated and purified from the culture medium.

Biological Activity of Expressed BMP-9

To measure the biological activity of the expressed BMP-9 proteins obtained in Example IV above, the proteins are recovered from the cell culture and purified by isolating the BMP-9 proteins from other proteinaceous materials with which they are co-produced as well as from other contaminants. The purified protein may be assayed in accordance with the rat bone formation assay described in Example III.

Purification is carried out using standard techniques known to those skilled in the art. It is contemplated, as with other BMP proteins, that purification may include the use of Heparin sepharose.

Protein analysis is conducted using standard techniques such as SDS-PAGE acrylamide [U.K. Laemmli, Nature 227: 680 (1970)] stained with silver [R. R. Oakley, et al. Anal. Biochem. 105: 361 (1980)] and by immunoblot [H. Towbin, et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 76: 4350 (1979)]

The foregoing descriptions detail presently preferred embodiments of the present invention. Numerous modifications and variations in practice thereof are expected to occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of these descriptions. Those modifications and variations are believed to be encompassed within the claims appended hereto.