Viral cell death protein and uses therefor
AssigneeSmithKline Beecham Corporation
InventorGary Keith Smith
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Viral proteins with sequence and functional similarity to the drosophila cell death protein known as Reaper are provided. Reaper plays an important role in the apoptotic pathway. Methods using the viral proteins and nucleotides encoding such proteins are described.
Claims20
(amended) A method of screening a compound to determine whether the compound affects caspase activation induced by a viral reaper protein, comprising:
- a) obtaining a vertebrate cell extract in which the addition of isolated viral reaper protein induces detectable caspase activation;
- b) adding isolated viral reaper protein and a test compound to said vertebrate cell extract;
- c) measuring caspase activation;
- and
- d) comparing caspase activation that occurs in the presence of the test compound to that which would be expected in the absence of the test compound;
- where a decrease in caspase activation compared to that which would be expected in the absence of the test compound indicates that said compound inhibits viral reaper-induced caspase activation, and an increase in caspase activation compared to that which would be expected in the absence of the test compound indicates that said test compound enhances viral reaper-induced caspase activation.
(amended) A method of screening a compound to determine whether the compound affects apoptosis induced by a viral reaper protein, comprising:
- a) obtaining a population of cells, the cells of a type in which the addition of isolated viral reaper protein induces apoptosis;
- b) administering isolated viral reaper protein and a test compound to said cells;
- c) measuring apoptosis that occurs in said cell population;
- and
- d) comparing apoptosis that occurs in the presence of the test compound to that which would be be expected in the absence of the test compound;
- where a decrease in apoptosis indicates that said compound inhibits viral reaper-induced apoptosis, and an increase in apoptosis compared to that which would be expected in the absence of the test compound indicates that said test compound enhances viral reaper-induced apoptosis.
(amended) A method of screening a compound for viral reaper modulating activity, comprising:
- (a) obtaining a population of cells modified to express an isolated viral reaper protein;
- (b) administering to a test population of said cells a test compound;
- and
- (c) comparing apoptosis occurring in said test population of cells to that which would be expected in a population of cells that did not receive said test compound;
- where a reduction in apoptosis indicates that said test compound inhibits viral reaper-induced apoptosis, and an increase in apoptosis indicates said test compound enhances viral-reaper induced apoptosis.
A method of inducing apoptosis in a vertebrate cell by administering an isolated viral reaper protein to said cell, in an amount sufficient to enhance apoptosis over that which would be seen in the absence of viral reaper protein.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.