56 results about "Neurotrophic Proteins" patented technology

The invention provides a novel recombinant polypeptide that comprises a nucleic acid binding element and a hairpin motif that selectively binds to a neurotrophin receptor. The recombinant polypeptide may be used for neurotrophin receptor mediated delivery of nucleic acid, including therapeutic DNA, bound to the recombinant polypeptide. In one embodiment, the hairpin motif is a hairpin motif of a neurotrophin, such as nerve growth factor, brain derived neurotrophic factor, neurotrophin 3 and neurotrophin 4 / 5. The hairpin motif is also a neurotrophin agonist and therefore may be used to treat any disorder responsive to neurotrophin treatment, such as neurological disorders and tumour. In one embodiment the agonist comprises a hairpin motif that selectively binds to a neurotrophin receptor and a positively charged binding domain which is believed to enhance receptor binding by binding to negatively charged cell membrane.

A specific clinical protocol for use toward therapy of defective, diseased and damaged neurons in the mammalian brain, of particular usefulness for treatment of neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. The protocol is practiced by directly delivering a definite concentration of recombinant neurotrophin, into a targeted region of the brain using an expression vector. The neurotrophin is delivered to, or within close proximity of, identified defective, diseased or damaged brain cells. The method stimulates growth of targeted neurons, and reversal of functional deficits associated with the neurodegenerative disease being treated.

The present invention provides agents for inhibiting binding of a pro-neurotrophin to a Vps10p-domain receptor, in particular the binding of a pro-NGF or a pro-BDNF to a Sortilin receptor. The invention thus provides agents for the manufacture of a medicament, for treating and / or preventing disease or disorders such as but not limited to neurological, neuropsychiatric and ocular diseases, disorders, and degeneration as well as obesity, diabetes, pain and / or nociception in an individual.

Disclosed are methods for regulating neurotrophin levels within a human body. The invention utilizes an implantable signal generator to deliver stimulation to neural tissue elements. Alternatively, an implantable pump may be utilized to delivery one or more drugs. The implanted device delivers treatment therapy to the neural tissue to thereby alter the level of neurotrophic factors such as BDNF expressed by the influenced neural tissue. A sensor may be used to detect various symptoms of a nervous system disorder. A microprocessor algorithm may then analyze the output from the sensor to regulate the treatment therapy delivered to the body. The invention describes a novel method to regulate the intrinsic levels of neurotrophins and may be used to treat patients with neurological and cognitive disorders.

The present invention is directed to a method for screening and identifying molecules that transactivate a neurotrophin receptor and mediate neuronal cell survival in the absence of neurotrophins which uses one or a combination of three different assays. The assays involve detecting the phosphorylation of a neurotrophin receptor, detecting the phosphorylation of phosphotidylinositol 3′-kinase or Akt enzyme, and assessing neuronal cell survival in the absence of neurotrophins.

The present invention relates to a composition including an effective amount of at least one of an antimicrobial peptide and a substance having an antimicrobial peptide effect and an effective amount of a neurotrophin. The composition can also include an effective amount of at least one of a growth factor and a neuropeptide. The present invention also relates a method of treating an injury to a nervous system of an animal that includes the steps of identifying the injury to the nervous system and applying to the injury an effective amount of at least one of antimicrobial peptide and a substance having an antimicrobial peptide effect. The method can also include applying an effective amount of one or more trophic factors selected from the group consisting of a growth factor, a neurotrophin, and a neuropeptide to the injury.

The present invention provides agents for inhibiting binding of a pro-neurotrophin to a Vps1 Op-domain receptor, in particular the binding of a pro-NGF or a pro-BDNF to a Sortilin receptor. The invention thus provides agents for the manufacture of a medicament, for treating and / or preventing disease or disorders such as but not limited to neurological, neuropsychiatric and ocular diseases, disorders, and degeneration as well as obesity, diabetes, pain and / or nociception in an individual.

Pantropic neurotrophic factors which have multiple neurotrophic specificities are provided. The pantropic neurotrophic factors of the present invention are useful in the treatment of neuronal disorders. Nucleic acids and expression vectors encoding the pantropic neurotrophins are also provided.

The present invention provides an isolated protein comprising a pro-domain of a proneurotrophin, methods for producing the protein, and pharmaceutical compositions containing the isolated protein. The invention also provides a nucleic acid molecule which encodes the protein and a vector containing the nucleic acid molecule. The present invention further provides a method for cleaving a proneurotrophin protein to a mature neurotrophin. In addition, the invention relates to methods for inducing apoptosis in a cell of a mammal expressing p75 surface receptors or p75 and trk receptors. The methods include causing the p75 receptor to bind a pharmaceutical composition containing a pro-domain of a proneurotrophin or administering to the mammal an effective amount of a cleavage-resistant proneurotrophin and an inhibitor of trk activation. The invention also relates to a method for inhibiting apoptosis of a cell in a mammal by administering an effective amount of a molecule which inhibits binding of a proneurotrophin to a p75 receptor. Also provided, are kits and methods for screening a human for a condition associated with undesired apoptosis.

The present invention relates to neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), a newly discovered member of the BDNF gene family. It is based, in part, on the identification of regions of nucleic acid sequence homology shared by BDNF and NGF (U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07 / 400,591, filed Aug. 30, 1989, incorporated by reference herein). According to the present invention, these regions of homology may be used to identify new members of the BDNF / NGF gene family; such methodology was used to identify NT-3. The present invention provides for the genes and gene products of new BDNF / NGF related neurotrophic factors identified by these methods. According to the invention, NT-3 may be used in the diagnosis and / or treatment of neurologic disorders, including, but not limited to, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Because NT-3 has been observed to exhibit a spectrum of activity different from the spcificities of BDNF or NGF, NT-3 provides new and valuable options for enducing regrowth and repair in the central nervous system.

Methods and compounds for treating neurodegenerative and other disorders. Included is the administering to a subject in need thereof an effective amount of a compound having binding specificity for a p75NTR receptor molecule. Enhanced survival of neural and other cells has been observed.

The invention provides methods for treating ocular diseases using a recombinant vehicle to express a protein useful in the treatment of ocular disease, with particular preference for use of neurotrophin-4 (NT4) for targeting subpopulations of cells in the retina. A genetically engineered gene transfer vector containing sequences encoding a growth factor such as neurotrophin-4 (NT4) is used to transduce cells of the retinal ganglion cell (RGC) layer, in situ, via administration of the vector intravitreally. Accordingly, methods are disclosed for treating subjects in need thereof by therapeutic protein delivery via a recombinant expression vector, including rescue of photoreceptors by targeting the RGC layer subpopulation of retinal cells.

A specific clinical protocol for use toward therapy of defective, diseased and damaged cholinergic neurons in the mammalian brain, of particular usefulness for treatment of neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease. The protocol is practiced by delivering a definite concentration of recombinant neurotrophin into, or within close proximity of, identified defective, diseased or damaged brain cells. Using a viral vector, the concentration of neurotrophin delivered as part of a neurotrophic composition varies from 10<10 >to 10<15 >neurotrophin encoding viral particles / ml of composition fluid. Each delivery site receives from 2.5 mul to 25 mul of neurotrophic composition, delivered slowly, as in over a period of time ranging upwards of 10 minutes / delivery site. Each delivery site is at, or within 500 mum of, a targeted cell, and no more than about 10 mm from another delivery site. Stable in situ neurotrophin expression can be achieved for 12 months, or longer.

The present invention relates generally to methods for preventing and / or treating pancreatic disorders, particularly those related to diabetes, by administering a neurturin protein product.