Genetically encoded enhancer of calcium currents for treatment of cardiac, neurologic, and psychiatric diseases

Abstract

The present invention describes a fusion protein or peptide conjugate comprising the functional domain of a cardiac-specific short chain amino acid with low affinity for the CaVβ-subunit conjugated. The fusion protein or peptide conjugate upregulates the function of L-type calcium channels in a cell-type dependent manner. In some aspects, the fusion protein is a chimeric genetically encoded enhancer of calcium channels (GeeC) comprising the functional domain of a cardiac-specific short chain amino acid with low affinity for the CaVβ-subunit conjugated to a functionally inert nanobody with high affinity to the CaVβ-subunit. In some aspects, GeeC enables targeted upregulation of CaV1.2/1.3 channels in diverse physiological settings thereby opening new avenues to development of future therapeutics. Methods for creating and administering the GeeC to human and non-human animals for the purposes of experimenting and treating cardiac, neurological, and psychiatric pathologies are also described.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.