Chimeric pro-caspases and methods of using same

Abstract

The present invention relates to a chimeric pro-caspase, which contains a pro-caspase domain and an oligomerizing domain. The invention also relates to an antibody that reacts specifically with a chimeric pro-caspase. In addition, the invention further relates to a polynucleotide encoding a chimeric pro-caspase, and to nucleotide sequences, which can hybridize specifically with a polynucleotide encoding a chimeric pro-caspase. The present invention also relates to a method of inducing apoptosis in a cell by providing a chimeric pro-caspase in the cell, wherein the chimeric pro-caspase includes a pro-caspase domain and an oligomerizing domain, whereby the chimeric pro-caspase forms an oligomer in the cell, thereby activating caspase activity of the chimeric pro-caspase and inducing apoptosis in the cell. The present invention further relates to a method of reducing the severity of a pathologic condition in a subject, by providing cells of the subject that are involved in the pathologic condition with a chimeric pro-caspase comprising a pro-caspase domain and an oligomerizing domain, whereby the chimeric pro-caspase forms an oligomer in the cells, thereby activating caspase activity of the chimeric pro-caspase, inducing apoptosis in the cells, and reducing the severity of the pathologic condition in the subject.

Description

[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60 / 108,873, filed Nov. 17, 1998, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference.[0002] This invention was made in part with government support under Grant No. RO1 CA51462 awaraded by the National Institutes of Health. The government has certain rights in this invention.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] 1. Field of the Invention [0004] The present invention relates generally to molecular biology and medicine and more specifically to pro-caspases that have been modified to facilitate directed oligomerization, and to methods of using such modified pro-caspases for inducing apoptosis in a cell. [0005] 2. Background Information [0006] In essentially all self-renewing tissues, a balance is struck between cell production by mitosis and cell loss due to programmed cell death, thereby maintaining total cell numbers within a physiologically appropriate range. In pathologic...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0018] The present invention further relates to a method of reducing the severity of a pathologic condition in a subject, by providing cells involved in the pathologic condition in the subject with a chimeric pro-caspase comprising a pro-caspase domain and an oligomerizing domain, whereby the chimeric pro-caspase can oligomerize in the cell, thereby activating caspase activity of the chimeric pro-caspase, which induces apoptosis in the cells and reduces the severity of the pathologic condition in the subject. The pathologic condition can be characterized, for example, by an undesirably high level of cell proliferation or by an undesirably low level of programmed cell death. In one embodiment, the pathologic condition is a neoplasia, which can be a benign neoplasia or a malignant neoplasia. In another embodiment, the pathologic condition is an autoimmune disease, wherein the cells associated with the pathologic condition are immunocytes.

Problems solved by technology

In pathological conditions, however, the balance in cell production and cell loss can be disrupted.

Various diseases, including, for example, cancer, inborn errors of metabolism, and neurodegenerative diseases have been refractory to treatment.

Although clinical trials of gene therapy protocols have yet to produce statistically significant results, positive results obtained in patients treated by gene therapy cannot be ignored, particularly since gene therapy generally has been practiced on patients that have failed more conventional treatment protocols.

Unfortunately, genetically manipulated cells can acquire unwanted properties and become deleterious to the host due, for example, to insertion of an introduced gene into an otherwise normal gene in the host cell, thus disrupting the function of the normal gene.

However, while numerous genes have been identified as involved in process of apoptosis, the mechanisms by which the products of these genes interact to execute the apoptotic program is not well understood.

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