Modulation of the neuroendoctrine system as a therapy for motor neuron disease
AssigneeUniversity of Pittsburgh—Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education
InventorRobert P. Bowser
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Abstract
The invention provides a method for treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in a subject. The method comprises administering to the nervous system of the subject a composition comprising a thyroxine protein or a therapeutic fragment or pharmacologic mimic thereof and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The invention also provides a method for treating ALS in a subject that comprises administering to the subject a transthyretin protein, 7B2 protein, a cystatin C protein, a neuroendocrine protein, a cysteine protease inhibitor, or an inhibitor of an enzyme that processes a 7B2 protein. In addition, the invention provides methods for determining the susceptibility of a subject to developing ALS and for determining the progression of ALS in a subject.
Claims11
A method comprising
- (a) obtaining a fluid sample selected from the group consisting of cerebrospinal fluid, blood serum, plasma, and urine from an individual at risk of or who has been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), (b) analyzing the cystatin C protein levels from the sample, and (c) comparing the cystatin C protein levels to a control sample wherein cystatin C protein levels of the sample that are lower than cystatin C protein levels of the control sample is indicative of ALS.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.