A method for selecting a compound or a composition of matter for treatment
of hyperproliferative disorders of the prostate in a mammal by
administering the compound or the composition to a mammal (in vivo) or to
a prostate cell culture (in vitro) and assessing the effect of the
compound or the composition on the content of the transcription and/or
translation product of a gene under the influence of at least one
regulatory region of Vitamin D upregulated protein 1 (VDUP-1) gene and
optionally assessing the effect of the compound or the composition on the
content of apoptosis signalling kinase (ASK-1) and/or thioredoxin, in the
prostate cells of said mammal or in the cells of the prostate cell
culture. A substance for use in the treatment of hyperproliferative
disorders of the prostate selected by the above method, a pharmaceutical
composition comprising said substance, a method of treatment by of a
hyperproliferative disorder of the prostate. A gene encoding VDUP-1 or a
functional equivalent thereof for use as a medicament and a vector
capable of expressing VDUP-1. A method of diagnosis of a
hyperproliferative disorder of the prostate in a mammal by assessing the
content of the transcription and/or translation products of at least one
of the genes encoding ezrin, thioredoxin, peroxiredoxin 5,
cyclin-dependent kinase 4, growth response protein CL6, defender against
cell death 1, CD24, osteoactivin, vitamin D-upregulated protein 1,
placental growth factor gene 1+2, Gata-4, duffy blood antigen,
interferon-inducible 17-kDa membrane protein, 14-3-3 protein, CD9 antigen
(p24), Ste-20 related kinase, ephrin type A receptor 5 precursor,
programmed cell death factor 4 and DNA-methyltransferase 3a, in cells
obtained from the prostate of said mammal. A kit for use in a method of
diagnosis of a hyperproliferative disorder of the prostate in a mammal.
