Methods for treating nuerodegenerative diseases including alzheimer's
OwnerCarl R. Merril, Hossein A. Ghanbariinventors
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Abstract
Methods of preventing neural tissue damage caused by ADP-ribosylation of eucaryotic elongation factor-2 (EF-2) are disclosed. These methods are especially useful in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and other cognitive disorders of mammals. Also described are methods to screen for drugs that would be useful for treating such diseases.
Claims26
A method for treating a neurodegenerative disease in a mammal, comprising administering to said mammal an agent which will inhibit and/or reverse ADP-ribosylation of elongation factor-2 (EF-2) in neuronal cells thereof, whereby neuron degeneration is ameliorated.
A method for determining if an agent is useful for treating a neurodegenerative disease, comprising:
- (a) performing a eucaryotic in vitro translation assay, to which has been added nucleic acid that codes for a marker protein, diphtheria toxin or exotoxin A, and the agent to be tested;
- and
- (b) determining if the inhibition of translation by the toxin is blocked by the agent by measuring the marker protein produced;
- wherein if translation is not blocked, then the agent is effective as a treatment for neurodegenerative disease.
A method for determining if an agent is useful for treating a neurodegenerative disease, comprising:
- (a) adding to a cell culture that has been transfected with a vector that expresses a marker protein an amount of diphtheria toxin which will inhibit translation, and the agent to be tested;
- (b) determining if the inhibition of translation by the toxin is blocked by the agent by measuring the marker protein produced;
- wherein if translation is not blocked, then the agent is effective as a treatment for neurodegenerative disease.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.