Compositions and use of inflammation-20 (Inf-20) gene
OwnerYouhai Chen, Honghong Sun +1inventors
InventorsYouhai Chen, Honghong Sun, Shunyou Gong
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This invention relates to Inf-20, a novel apoptosis regulator, that in one embodiment is induced by TNF. The gene, designated inflammation-20 (Inf-20), encodes a polypeptide of 184 amino acids. In one embodiment Inf-20 comprises a conserved death effector domain (DED) that is capable of interacting with caspase-8, but not with Fas-associated death domain (FADD) protein.
Claims60
An isolated Inf-20 nucleic acid molecule, encoding an apoptosis inhibition protein, wherein said Inf-20 has a nucleic acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO. 1.
The vector of claim 20, wherein the vector is a plasmid, cosmid, yeast artificial chromosome (YAC), BAC, adenovirus, adeno-associated virus, retovirus, P1, bacteriophage or eukaryotic viral DNA.
An isolated inf-20 polypeptide selected from:
- a. a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:2,
- b. a polypeptide comprising a naturally occurring amino acid sequence at least 72% identical to the amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said polypeptide has TNF-a or FADD induced apoptosis inhibition activity and is able to interact with caspase-8,
- c. a biologically active fragment of a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said fragment has TNF-α or FADD induced apoptosis inhibition activity, or
- d. a polypeptide encoded by the nucleic acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO. 1.
A composition, comprising a inf-20 encoded polypeptide, represented by SEQ ID NO. 1 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, excipient, flow agent, processing aid, diluent or a combination thereof
A method for identifying, diagnosing or predicting a candidate for developing a neurodegenerative disease comprising determining whether inf-20 is overexpressed as compared with a standard.
A medium having disposed thereon an oligonucleotide-hybridized cRNA of inf-20.
A method of promoting cell survival, comprising increasing the expression of inf-20, wherein increasing said expression of said inf-20 is by contacting said cell with an inf-20 agonist.
A method of inhibiting TNF-α induced apoptosis in a cell, comprising increasing the expression of inf-20 in said cell thereby inhibiting TNF-a induced apoptosis in said cell.
A method of inhibiting FADD induced apoptosis in a cell, comprising increasing the expression of inf-20 in said cell thereby inhibiting FADD induced apoptosis in said cell.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.