36 results about "Microtubule-associated protein" patented technology

In accordance with the invention, novel gene deletions and translocations involving chromosome 2 resulting in fusion proteins combining part of Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK) kinase with part of a secondary protein have now been identified in human solid tumors, e.g. non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). Secondary proteins include Echinoderm Microtubule-Associated Protein-Like 4 (EML-4) and TRK-Fusion Gene (TFG). The EML4-ALK fusion protein, which retains ALK tyrosine kinase activity, was confirmed to drive the proliferation and survival of NSCLC characterized by this mutation. The invention therefore provides, in part, isolated polynucleotides and vectors encoding the disclosed mutant ALK kinase polypeptides, probes for detecting it, isolated mutant polypeptides, recombinant polypeptides, and reagents for detecting the fusion and truncated polypeptides. The disclosed identification of this new fusion protein enables new methods for determining the presence of these mutant ALK kinase polypeptides in a biological sample, methods for screening for compounds that inhibit the proteins, and methods for inhibiting the progression of a cancer characterized by the mutant polynucleotides or polypeptides, which are also provided by the invention.

The present invention provides methods for diagnosing a neurological disease and/or for determining the predisposition of a subject to a neurological disease and/or for determining a subject at risk of developing a neurological disease, the method comprising detecting a marker in a glycogen synthase kinase 3β gene or expression product thereof and a microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT) gene or expression product thereof. The present invention also provides pharmacogenetic methods, e.g., for identifying a subject that will respond to treatment with a therapeutic compound.

In accordance with the invention, novel gene deletions and translocations involving chromosome 2 resulting in fusion proteins combining part of Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK) kinase with part of a secondary protein have now been identified in human solid tumors, e.g. non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). Secondary proteins include Echinoderm Microtubule-Associated Protein-Like 4 (EML-4) and TRK-Fusion Gene (TFG). The EML4-ALK fusion protein, which retains ALK tyrosine kinase activity, was confirmed to drive the proliferation and survival of NSCLC characterized by this mutation. The invention therefore provides, in part, isolated polynucleotides and vectors encoding the disclosed mutant ALK kinase polypeptides, probes for detecting it, isolated mutant polypeptides, recombinant polypeptides, and reagents for detecting the fusion and truncated polypeptides. The disclosed identification of this new fusion protein enables new methods for determining the presence of these mutant ALK kinase polypeptides in a biological sample, methods for screening for compounds that inhibit the proteins, and methods for inhibiting the progression of a cancer characterized by the mutant polynucleotides or polypeptides, which are also provided by the invention.

The present invention addresses the problem of providing a combination of biomarkers, whereby integration dysfunction syndrome can be highly accurately diagnosed, and the utilization thereof. Provided is an integration dysfunction syndrome marker set which comprises two or more protein molecules combined together, said protein molecules being selected from the group consisting of trifunctional purine biosynthetic protein adenosine-3, uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase, interferon-induced GTP-binding protein Mx1, glutaredoxin-3, microtubule-associated protein RP/EB family member 1, tubulin folding cofactor B, immunoglobulin mu chain C region and heat shock 70 kDa protein 4L. Also provided is a method for examining integration dysfunction syndrome with the use of the level of the aforesaid marker set in a specimen as an index.

The present invention concerns an in vitro screening assay for identification of modulators of tubulin carboxypeptidase (TCPase) activity comprising the steps of: (i) Contacting (a) a substrate of TCPase enzyme comprising an amino acids sequence having at least the last 4 amino acids residues of the C-terminal sequence of an α-tubulin and/or a Microtubule Associated Protein (MAP) and, as ultimate C-terminal amino acid residue, an aromatic amino acid residue, preferably a tyrosine (Y), and b) an isolated or recombinant TCPase enzyme; in the presence or absence (control) of the modulator compound to be tested, and under conditions for substrate cleavage, preferably detyrosination, and/or liberation of a C-terminal free aromatic amino acid residue, preferably a C-terminal free tyrosine; (ii) Using reagents for detecting and measuring the signal related to substrate cleavage, preferably detyrosination, and/or liberation of the C-terminal free aromatic amino acid residue, preferably the C-terminal free tyrosine; (iii) Measuring and comparing the level of substrate cleavage, preferably detyrosination and/or the level of the C-terminal free aromatic amino acid residue, preferably the C-terminal free tyrosine in presence and in absence (control) of the compound to be tested, and (iv) Selecting the modulators of TCPase for which the level of substrate cleavage, preferably detyrosination or liberation of the C-terminal aromatic amino acid residue, preferably C-terminal free tyrosine is increased in the presence of the compound to be tested (activators of TCPase) or decreased in the presence of the compound to be tested (inhibitors of TCPase). The present invention also concerns kits for performing such in vitro screening assay.

The present invention relates to a method of preventing or treating a disease correlated with or caused by non-physiologically increased intracellular levels of the catalytic subunit of microtubule-associated protein phosphatase 2A (PP2Ac) comprising administering to a subject affected by said disease or in danger of developing said disease a pharmaceutically effective amount of a protein selected from the group of MID1 or MID2 or a nucleic acid encoding said protein. The invention further relates to a method of preventing or treating a disease correlated with or caused by non-physiologically decreased intracellular levels of the catalytic subunit of microtubule-associated protein phosphatase 2A (PP2Ac) comprising administering to a subject affected by said disease or in danger of developing said disease a pharmaceutically effective amount of a peptidic fragment of MID1 or MID2 wherein said peptidic fragment comprises amino acids 108-165 (preferably 110-165) of MID1, amino acids 108-165 (preferably 110-165) of MID2 or with an effective amount of a fragment of PP2Ac wherein said fragment comprises the binding site to a4 or of a peptide fragment of a4 comprising amino acids 236-279 or with an effective amount of a nucleic acid molecule encoding said peptide fragment or with an effective amount of a molecule interfering with the interaction of MID1 with a4 or with an effective amount of a molecule interfering with the expression or activity of MID1 and/or a 4.

The invention relates to binding molecules and antigen-binding fragments that specifically bind to microtubule-associated protein tau. The invention also relates to diagnostic, prophylactic and therapeutic methods using the binding molecules or antigen-binding fragments.

The present invention relates to an antibody which specifically binds to TMAP (tumor associated microtubule associated protein)/CKAP2 (cytoskeleton associated protein 2) or a fragment thereof, and a method for identifying the presence or absence of mitosis and a method for diagnosing cancer prognosis using the same. More specifically, the present invention relates to a composition for diagnosing cancer prognosis comprising an anti-TMAP/CKAP2 antibody or an antigen-binding site thereof, a method for detecting TMAP/CKAP2 using the composition, an anti-TMAP/CKAP2 antibody for diagnosing cancer prognosis, a method for providing information for diagnosing cancer prognosis using the composition, a method for screening a cancer therapeutic agent comprising the step of determining changes in the level of TMAP/CKAP2 antigen-antibody reaction by the treatment of a candidate substance, and a composition for determining cell-division cycles using the composition.