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AssigneeThe University of Queensland
InventorsPerry Francis Bartlett, Elizabeth Jane Coulson, Katrina Fieldew, Manuel Baca, Trevor Kilpatrick, Cheema Surindar
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The present invention relates generally to a method for modulating cell survival. Modulation of cell survival includes inducing, enhancing or otherwise promoting cell survival such as the survival of neural cells as well as facilitating cell death such as the death of targeted cancer cells. The modulation of cell survival is mediated by a region identified on the p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) required for death signalling. The present invention further provides genetic molecules which encode the death signalling region of p75NTR which are useful in antagonising death signal function as well as promoting cell death when expressed in targeted cells. The present invention also contemplates recombinant peptides, polypeptides and proteins as well as chemical equivalents, derivatives and homologues thereof which comprise the death signalling portion of p75NTR. Particularly useful molecules of the present invention comprise peptides corresponding to soluble forms of the death signalling portion of p75NTR. These molecules antagonise p75NTR-mediated cell death.
A method for reducing p75NTR-mediated cell death in a mammalian neural cell, comprising contacting said cell with an effective amount of a soluble polypeptide that antagonizes p75NTR receptor, wherein said polypeptide comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:12, or a contiguous fragment thereof, wherein the fragment comprises at least 14 amino acids.
A method for reducing p75NTR-mediated cell death in a mammalian neural cell, comprising contacting said cell with an effective amount of a soluble polypeptide that antagonizes p75NTR receptor, wherein said polypeptide comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:12.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.