Methods and compositions for expanding cells and improving engraftment
AssigneeUniversity of Louisville Research Foundation, Inc.
InventorsSuzanne T. Ildstad, Mary Jane Elliott
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods of expanding FCs or stem cells are provided herein, as are methods of screening for compounds that increase expression of DOCK2 or decrease expression of Arhgap18, either of which improves engraftment.
Claims21
(canceled)
A method of expanding stem cells, comprising the step of:
- contacting said stem cells with DOCK2 polypeptides.
3-4. (canceled)
A method of screening for a compound that increases the expression of DOCK2, comprising the steps of:
- contacting DOCK2-expressing cells with a test compound;
- and
- determining the amount of DOCK2 RNA or protein,
- wherein an increase in DOCK2 RNA or protein in the presence of the test compound compared with the amount of DOCK2 RNA or protein in a cell not contacted with the test compound is indicative of a compound that increases the expression of DOCK2.
A method of screening for a compound that decreases the expression of Arhgap18, comprising the steps of:
- contacting Arhgap18-expressing cells with a test compound;
- and
- determining the amount of Arhgap18 RNA or protein,
- wherein a decrease in Arhgap18 RNA or protein in the presence of the test compound compared with the amount of Arhgap18 RNA or protein in an Arhgap18-expressing cell not contacted with the test compound is indicative of a compound that decreases the expression of Arhgap18.
A method of screening for a compound that increases the migration of FCs toward chemokines, comprising the steps of:
- contacting FCs with a test compound, wherein the FCs are cultured in the vicinity of a chemokine;
- and
- determining whether or not there is an increase in the migration of FCs toward the chemokine compared to the migration of FCs that have not been contacted with the test compound, wherein an increase in migration of the FCs toward the chemokine in the presence of the test compound compared to the migration of the FCs toward the chemokine in the absence of the test compound indicates a compound that increases the migration of FCs toward chemokines.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.