41 results about "Cation channels of sperm" patented technology

The present invention relates to novel human nucleic acid molecules encoding novel human cation channels, and proteins and polypeptides encoded by such nucleic acid molecules. More specifically, the nucleic acid molecules of the invention include the novel human gene designated HBMYCNG. The proteins and polypeptides of the invention represent a novel cation channel that may be therapeutically valuable targets for drug delivery in the treatment of human diseases which involve calcium, sodium, potassium or other ionic homeostatic dysfunction, such as central nervous system (CNS) disorders, e.g., stroke, anxiety and depression, or degenerative neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's disease, or other disorders such as cardiac disorders, e.g., arrhythmia, diabetes, chronic pain, hypercalcemia, hypocalcemia, hypercalciuria, hypocalciuria, or ion disorders associated with immunological disorders, gasto-intestinal (GI) tract disorders, or renal or liver disease.

The present invention is directed to a combination of therapeutic compounds and treatment methods and kits using the combination. In particular, one of the combination affects the NCca-ATP channel of neural tissue, including neurons, glia and blood vessels within the nervous system. Exemplary SUR1 and/or TRPM4 antagonists that inhibit the NCca-ATP channel may be employed in the combination. The combination therapy also employs one or more of a non-selective cation channel blocker and/or an antagonist of VEFG, NOS, MMP, or thrombin. Exemplary indications for the combination therapy includes the prevention, diminution, and/or treatment of injured or diseased neural tissue, including astrocytes, neurons and capillary endothelial cells, that is due to ischemia, tissue trauma, brain swelling and increased tissue pressure, or other forms of brain or spinal cord disease or injury, for example. In other embodiments, there are methods and compositions directed to antagonists of TRPM4, including at least for therapeutic treatment of traumatic brain injury, cerebral ischemia, central nervous system (CNS) damage, peripheral nervous system (PNS) damage, cerebral hypoxia, or edema, for example.

Assays for screening potential drugs or agents that can interact and potentially bind to cation channel proteins, and potentially have uses in treating conditions related to the function of cation channel proteins is provided, along with prokaryotic cation channel proteins mutated to mimic eukaryotic cation channels, which can then be used in assays of the present invention.

Mycorrhizal and rhizobial associations represent the two most important symbiotic relationships between higher plants and microorganisms, providing access to otherwise limiting supplies of phosphate and nitrogen, respectively. Although many higher plants are able to establish a symbiotic relationship with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, legumes are unusual among plants because they also form associations with nitrogen fixing soil bacteria called rhizobia. This symbiosis requires the production of bacterial signals, “Nod factors” that trigger several key developmental responses in the host plant (Dénarié et al., 1996). The DMI1 gene of the model legume M. truncatula plays a major role both in the early steps of Nod factor signaling and in the establishment of mycorrhizal symbiosis. Dmi1 mutants do not exhibit many of the early responses to Nod factors and are incapable of forming nitrogen fixing root nodules. Here we describe the cloning and preliminary characterization of DMI1. The DMI1 gene encodes a novel protein with low global similarity to ligand-gated cation channels of archaea. The protein is highly conserved in angiosperms and ancestral to land plants. Interestingly a putative A. thaliana DMI1 orthologous gene is expressed in roots. As A. thaliana is unable to establish a mycorrhizal symbiosis, this finding suggests that DMI1 may also exhibit a function that is independent of symbiotic interactions.

Focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is a kidney disorder of unknown etiology and up to 20% of patients on dialysis have this diagnosis. A large family with hereditary FSGS carries a missense mutation in the TRPC6 gene on chromosome 11q, encoding the ion channel protein Transient Receptor Potential Cation Channel 6. The missense mutation is a P112Q substitution, which occurs in a highly conserved region of the protein, enhances TRPC6-mediated calcium signals in response to agonists such as angiotensin II, and alters the intracellular distribution of TRPC6 protein. Previous work has emphasized the importance of cytoskeletal and structural proteins in proteinuric kidney diseases. Our findings suggest a novel mechanism for glomerular disease pathogenesis.

The methods and compositions of the invention are based on a method for measuring nociceptive responses in vertebrates, including humans and other mammals utilizing a newly discovered thermoreceptor belonging to the Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) family of non-selective cation channels that participates in thermosensation and pain. This receptor, designated ANKTMI, is associated with nociceptive pain, such as hyperalgesia. Accordingly, the invention provides isolated polypeptides and polynucleotides associated with nociception as well as methods for identifying or screening agents that modulate nociception.

The present invention relates to a method for eliciting ejaculation in a male individual, comprising delivering one or more stimulation pulses to lumbar spinothalamic (LSt) cells via a light stimulus, wherein said LSt cells express a light-activated cation channel protein.

The invention belongs to the field of functional polymer materials, in particular to a functional composite membrane capable of recognizing alkali metal ions and a preparation method thereof. The functional composite membrane provided by the invention is prepared by coating a carbamido-containing silicon compound capable of carrying out molecular self-assembly to form an ionic channel on the surface of a microporous planar supporting layer or blending a carbamido-containing silicon compound capable of carrying out molecular self-assembly to form an ionic channel with a polymer forming a microporous supporting layer. The compact-surface composite membrane comprises the microporous planar supporting layer and a surface-coated compact layer of the carbamido-containing silicon compound or comprises the compact layer and the microporous supporting layer, wherein the compact layer with the carbamido-containing silicon compound on the surface is prepared by blending the carbamido-containing silicon compound and the polymer forming the microporous supporting layer. The compact layer of the carbamido-containing silicon compound contains crosslinked siloxane network cation channels so as torealize the recognition and the transmission of the functional membrane to alkali metal ions.

Methods for preparing populations of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), e.g., autologous and/or allogenic HSCs, using mechanical stretching or transient receptor potential cation channel-subfamily vanilloid member 4 (Trpv4) agonists, and methods of use of the HSCs in transplantation are provided. Specifically, the methods comprising providing population cells comprising hemogenic endothelial (HE) cells, contacting the HE cells with an amount of an agonist of Trpv4; and/or subjecting the cells to cyclic 2-dimensional stretching, for a time and under conditions sufficient to stimulating endothelial-to-HSC transition. Further disclosed are methods of treating malignant or non-malignant hematologic, metabolic, or immune disorders comprising administering to a subject a therapeutically effectiveamount of HSCs obtained by the methods.

The present invention relates to a method for activation of TRPA1 (transient receptor potential cation channel, subfamily A, member 1) using acetaldehyde, more precisely a method for selecting a candidate for TRPA1 activation blocker from neurons activated by acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde of the present invention works on TRPA1 specifically so that it facilitates the isolation of sensory neurons expressing TRPA1. Therefore, acetaldehyde of the invention can be effectively used for the studies on TRPA1 mechanisms and the development of a TRPA1 based anodyne.

The invention relates to compounds acting as selective antagonists of Transient Receptor Potential cation channel subfamily M member 8 (TRPM8), and having formula (I).

Said compounds are useful in the treatment of diseases associated with activity of TRPM8 such as pain, inflammation, ischaemia, neurodegeneration, stroke, psychiatric disorders, itch, irritable bowel diseases, cold induced and/or exacerbated respiratory disorders and urological disorders.

The invention relates to a vaccine, in particular to a gene vaccine of sperm-specific cationic channel protein CatSper1. The vaccine is an immune-stimulating complex type vaccine composed of CatSper1-BAFF digenic recombinant eukaryotic vector, saponin Quil A, cholesterol and lecithin; and the vaccine can inhibit the movement of sperms, perform specific reduction of the average farrowing rate and number born of BALB/c mouse and have good application prospect in the immunological contraception field. The invention also relates to a preparation method of the vaccine which has simple operation and low cost.

To provide a method for objectively evaluating or screening to identify a substance which is capable of suppressing or regulating olfaction. A method of evaluating or screening to identify an agent for suppressing olfactory sensitivity, including adding a test substance to a substrate having a voltage-dependent cation channel and evaluating or selecting a substance that inhibits an electrical activity caused by the cation channel. A method of evaluating or screening to identify an agent for suppressing olfactory sensitivity, including the following steps (1) to (4): (1) adding a test substance to a substrate having a voltage-dependent cation channel; (2) measuring electrical activity caused by the voltage-dependent cation channel; (3) comparing the electrical activity measured in step (2) with the corresponding electrical activity in a control group; and (4) evaluating or selecting the test substance that inhibits the electrical activity as an agent for suppressing olfactory sensitivity, based on the results obtained in step (3).

This invention relates to the use of compounds capable of inhibiting the activity of a proton-gated cation channel in the treatment of alleviation of diseases or disorders associated with, or mediated by a drop in extra cellular pH.

The disclosure provides non-human optogenetic animal models of depression. Specifically, non-human animals each expresses a light- responsive opsin in a neuron of the animal are provided. The animal models are useful for identifying agents and targets of therapeutic strategies for treatment of depression. Examples of using the non-human animals expressing light-responsive opsin including Halorhodopsin family of light-responsive chloride pumps and Channelrhodopsin family of light-responsive cation channel proteins are described.

Methods of screening for agents that modulate the activity of a mechanically-activated cation channel are provided. Also provided are compositions and methods for ameliorating pain by antagonizing or inhibiting mechanically-activated cation channels.