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AssigneeThe Governing Council of the University of Toronto
InventorsPeter H. St. George-Hyslop, Paul E. Fraser
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Presenilin Associated Membrane Protein (PAMP), and nucleic acids encoding this protein, are provided. PAMP and PAMP nucleic acids provide diagnostic and therapeutic tools for evaluating and treating or preventing neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders. In a specific embodiment, mutations in PAMP are diagnostic for schizophrenia. The invention further relates to screening, particularly using high-throughput screens and transgenic animal models, for compounds that modulate the activity of PAMP and presenilins. Such compounds, or gene therapy with PAMP, can be used in treating neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders, particularly schizophrenia. In addition, the invention provides PAMP mutants, nucleic acids encoding for PAMP mutants, and transgenic animals expressing PAMP mutants, which in a preferred aspect result in biochemical, morphological, or neuropsychological changes similar to those associated with schizophrenia.
A method for detecting a mutation in presenilin associated membrane protein (PAMP) associated with a neuropsychiatric or neurodevelopmental disorder, which method comprises detecting a variation in a sequence of a gene encoding PAMP obtained from an individual diagnosed with or suspected of having said disorder.
A method for diagnosing individuals predisposed to or having a neuropsychiatric or neurodevelopmental disorder, which method comprises detecting a mutation in a gene encoding PAMP obtained from an individual.
A method for identifying a compound that is useful in treating a neuropsychiatric or neurodevelopmental disorder, which method comprises detecting modulation of of PAMP expression in a transgenic animal that expresses PAMP, wherein the animal is contacted with the compound.
A method for identifying a compound that is useful in treating a neuropsychiatric or neurodevelopmental disorder, which method comprises:
A method for identifying a compound that is useful in treating a neuropsychiatric or neurodevelopmental disorder, which method comprises:
A method for treating neuropsychiatric or neurodevelopmental disorder in a mammalian host which expresses at least one PAMP protein or a naturally occurring variant, which method comprises administering to the host an amount of compound effective to modulate PAMP expression in the host.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.