Methods and composition concerning herpesvirus Us3 and BAD-involved apoptosis
OwnerJoshua Munger, Bernard Roizmaninventors
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Abstract
The present invention concerns methods of compositions for inhibiting or inducing apoptosis in a cell. The methods and compositions concern either the herpesviral protein US3, the cellular pro-apoptotic polypeptide BAD, or modulators thereof to modulate apoptosis in a cell.
Claims83
A method for inducing apoptosis in a cell infected with herpes simplex virus (HSV) comprising administering to the cell a composition comprising an agent that inhibits phosphorylation of BAD by HSV US3.
A method for treating a patient infected with herpes simplex virus comprising administering to the patient an effective amount of a composition comprising a peptide comprising a sequence comprising between 4 to 100 continuous amino acids of SEQ ID NO:
- 2 or SEQ ID NO:
- 4, wherein the peptide comprises ser112, ser135, or ser155, or a combination thereof.
A method for treating a patient infected with herpes simplex virus comprising administering to the patient an effective amount of a composition comprising at least two peptides, each peptide comprising a different sequence comprising between 4 to 100 continuous amino acids of SEQ ID NO:
- 2 or SEQ ID NO:
- 4, wherein the peptides comprise one, two, or three of ser112, ser135, and ser155.
A method for blocking BAD-induced apoptosis of a cell comprising providing to a cell suspected of undergoing BAD-induced apoptosis a US3 polypeptide.
A method of identifying an inhibitor of apoptosis comprising:
- a) contacting a BAD peptide or polypeptide with a candidate compound;
- and
- b) assaying the compound for the ability to inhibit the apoptotic activity of the BAD peptide or polypeptide,
- wherein the inhibition of the apoptotic activity of the BAD peptide or polypeptide identifies the compound as an inhibitor of apoptotic activity.
A method of screening for a promoter of apoptosis comprising:
- a) incubating a BAD peptide or polypeptide with a US3 polypeptide and a candidate compound;
- b) assaying the compound for an ability to relieve inhibition of apoptosis by the US3 polypeptide on the BAD peptide or polypeptide,
- wherein the relief of inhibition of apoptosis by the compound identifies it as a promoter of apoptosis.
An apoptosis modulator identified by a process comprising:
- a) contacting a BAD peptide or polypeptide with a candidate compound;
- b) assaying the compound for an ability to modulate the BAD peptide or polypeptide, wherein the compound modulates the BAD peptide or polypeptide.
A method for blocking apoptosis of a cell comprising providing to the cell a herpesvirus US3 polypeptide.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.