Screening assay for compounds stimulating somatostatin transcription factor -1 binding to an STF-1 binding site
AssigneeResearch Development Foundation
InventorsMarc Montminy, Bernard Peers
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Abstract
The present invention provides a method to design compounds that mimic the effects of Pbx in stabilizing STF-1 binding. Using well known DNA binding assays, a person having ordinary skill in this art would be able to screen compounds to determine drugs effective in promoting STF-1 binding to DNA. In this way, one will be able to discover new compounds useful in stimulating somatostatin and insulin production.
Claims6
A DNA binding assay to determine compounds effective for promoting somatostatin-transcription factor-1 binding to an STF-1 binding site, comprising the steps of:
- combining end-labeled, double-stranded DNA having an STF-1 binding site with STF-1 as a control in a first container;
- combining end-labeled, double-stranded DNA having an STF-1 binding site with STF-1 and a test compound as a sample in a second container;
- incubating said first and second containers;
- loading said control and said sample onto an electrophoresis gel;
- applying an electrical current to said electrophoresis gel so as to cause said control and said sample to migrate within said gel;
- detecting said control and said sample;
- comparing migration of said control to migration of said sample, wherein if said sample has a slower migration than said control, said test compound is effective in promoting STF-1 binding to said STF-1 binding site.
A DNA binding assay to determine compounds effective for promoting somatostatin-transcription factor-1 binding to an STF-1 binding site, comprising the steps of:
- transfecting a first expression plasmid that consistuitively expresses STF-1 and a second expression plasmid that expresses a reporter gene under the control of an STF-1 binding site into an appropriate cell line;
- transfecting a third plasmid into said transfected appropriate cell line, said third expression plasmid expressing a test compound;
- measuring an amount of transcription of said reporter gene, wherein if said transcription takes place, said test compound is effective for promoting STF-1 binding to said STF-1 binding site.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.