Methods for identifying agents that modulate apoptosis in cells that over-express a Bcl-2 family member protein

Abstract

The present invention provides methods and combinations of methods for identifying agents that modulate the apoptotic state of a cell by binding to the hydrophobic groove of a Bcl-2 family member anti-apoptotic protein. In certain embodiments, the methods generally comprise the use of Bcl-2 family member proteins having one or more mutations in the hydrophobic groove that, relative to a corresponding protein lacking the mutation, affect, e.g., binding of desired agents or in vitro antimycin sensitivity without substantially altering tertiary protein structure. In these embodiments, the methods comprise the identification of agents that exhibit reduced binding affinities and/or other biological activities for the mutant proteins relative to the corresponding Bcl-2 family member lacking the mutation. In other embodiments, the methods generally comprise the detection of the ability of an agent to induce increased glucose uptake or lactate production in proportion to the level of expression of an anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family member protein.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.