Product and process to regulate actin polymerization
AssigneeNational Jewish Center for Immunology and Respiratory Medicine
InventorGary L. Johnson
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Abstract
The present invention relates to methods useful for identifying compounds capable of specifically regulating actin polymerization, stress fiber formation or focal adhesion assembly by regulating G.sub..alpha.12 and/or G.sub..alpha.13 activity in cells involved in inflammatory responses, immune responses, allergic responses and neuronal responses, kits to perform such assays and methods to control disease related to such responses.
Claims43
A method to identify compounds capable of regulating actin polymerization, stress fiber formation or focal adhesion assembly in a cell, comprising:
- (a) contacting a cell with a putative regulatory compound, wherein said cell includes a Rho protein and a G protein that can regulate the activity of said Rho protein, said G protein selected from the group consisting of G.sub.12 and G.sub.13 ;
- and
- (b) assessing the ability of said putative regulatory compound to regulate a biological function selected from the group consisting of actin polymerization, stress fiber formation or focal adhesion assembly.
A regulatory compound identified by said compound's ability to regulate a biological function selected from the group consisting of actin polymerization, stress fiber formation or focal adhesion assembly in a cell, said compound being capable of penetrating the plasma membrane of a cell and of inhibiting the ability of a G protein to regulate Rho protein activity in said cell, wherein said compound is capable of regulating the activity of a G protein selected from the group consisting of G.sub..alpha.12 or G.sub..alpha.13.
A method to identify compounds capable of regulating actin polymerization, stress fiber formation or focal adhesion assembly in a cell, comprising:
- (a) contacting a putative regulatory compound with a formulation comprising a Rho regulator molecule and a G protein capable of regulating the activity of said Rho regulator molecule, wherein said G protein is selected from the group consisting of G.sub..alpha.12 or a G.sub..alpha.13 ;
- and
- (b) assessing the ability of said putative regulatory compound to regulate the activity of said Rho regulator molecule.
A method to inhibit a biological function selected from the group consisting of actin polymerization, stress fiber formation and focal adhesion assembly, comprising inhibiting the activity of a protein selected from the group consisting of G.sub..alpha.12 and G.sub..alpha.13.
A method to inhibit cell metastases, comprising inhibiting the activity of a protein selected from the group consisting of G.sub..alpha.12 or G.sub..alpha.13.
A method to inhibit cell chemotaxis, comprising inhibiting the activity of a protein selected from the group consisting of G.sub..alpha.12 or G.sub..alpha.13.
A method to treat an animal with a disease selected from the group consisting of cancer, respiratory distress syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and restenosis, said method comprising administering to an animal an effective amount of a therapeutic composition comprising a compound that regulates a biological function selected from the group consisting of actin polymerization, stress fiber formation or focal adhesion assembly, said compound being capable of penetrating the plasma membrane of a cell in said animal and of inhibiting the ability of a G protein selected from the group consisting of G.sub.12 and G.sub.13 to regulate Rho protein activity in said cell.
A method to identify compounds capable of regulating actin polymerization, stress fiber formation or focal adhesion assembly in a cell, comprising:
- (a) contacting a cell with a putative regulatory compound, wherein said cell includes a Rho protein and a G protein that can regulate the activity of said Rho protein, said G protein selected from the group consisting of G.sub..alpha.12 or G.sub..alpha.13 ;
- and
- (b) assessing the ability of said putative regulatory compound to regulate a biological function selected from the group consisting of actin polymerization, stress fiber formation or focal adhesion assembly.
A kit to identify compounds capable of regulating actin polymerization, stress fiber formation or focal adhesion assembly, said kit comprising:
- (a) a cell comprising a Rho protein and a G protein that can regulate the activity of said Rho protein, said G protein selected from the group consisting of G.sub.12 and G.sub.13 ;
- and
- (b) a means for detecting regulation of said Rho protein.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.