摘要:
Disclosed is a method for the prevention and/or treatment of muscle degeneration. In this method, a subject recognized as having muscle degeneration is treated with a composition effective to increase functional glycosylation of α-dystroglycan in an affected tissue in the subject. Functional glycosylation is to be increased to an extent wherein the binding of α-dystroglycan to its ligands in the affected tissue is rescued to levels substantially similar to those in an evenly matched tissue unaffected by degeneration. One effective means for increasing functional glycosylation of α-dystroglycan in a subject includes increasing glycosyltransferase activity, such as LARGE or LARGE2 activity, in the muscle of the subject. Therapeutic glycosylated peptide compositions are also provided.
摘要:
Disclosed is alpha-dystroglycan protein (alpha-DG) in glycosylated and functional form. The disclosed alpha-DG binds to the basal lamina and to the sarcolemma of muscle fibers and may be injected into muscle and incorporated into muscle fibers in order to restore membrane integrity where the muscle fibers comprise a dysfunctional alpha-DG protein. Alpha-DG as disclosed herein may be utilized in pharmaceutical compositions and methods for treating diseases and disorders associated with or characterized by a dysfunctional alpha-DG, such as muscular dystrophy.
摘要:
Disclosed herein is a substantially pure nucleic acid sequence encoding a mammalian 43 kDa non-dystrophin component (.beta.-sarcoglycan) of the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex. Also disclosed are immunogenic peptides which, when used to immunize a mammal, stimulate the production of antibodies which bind specifically to the .beta.-sarcoglycan. Mutations in the .beta.-sarcoglycan gene which are associated with autosomal recessive limb-girdle muscular dystrophy are also disclosed. The identification of such mutations enables the design of nucleic acid probes which hybridize specifically to a mutant form of .beta.-sarcoglycan, or the complement thereof, but not to the DNA of the wild-type form of the gene (or the complement thereof), under stringent hybridization conditions. Such probes are useful, for example, in connection with the diagnosis of autosomal recessive limb-girdle muscular dystrophy. In addition, the identification of such mutations enables the diagnosis of autosomal recessive limb-girdle muscular dystrophy through the use of direct DNA sequencing techniques.
摘要:
Disclosed are mammalian nucleic acid sequences encoding a neuronal-specific subunit of a voltage-gated calcium channel. Specifically disclosed are &ggr;2, &ggr;3 and &ggr;4 subunits. In other aspects, the disclosure relates to expression vectors which encode neuronal-specific subunits, as well as cells containing such vectors. In other aspects, the disclosure relates to antigenic fusion proteins comprising at least a portion of a mammalian neuronal-specific subunit of a voltage-gated calcium channel. Such fusion proteins are useful, for example, in the production of antibodies specifically reactive with the subunits of the invention. The nucleic acid sequences of the invention find application, for example, in screening for compounds which modulate the activity of neuronal voltage-gated calcium channels and also in diagnostic methods for diagnosing the autoimmune disease Lambert-Eaton Syndrome, as well as diagnosing defects in &ggr; subunit genes of a patient with a neuronal disease such as epilepsy. An additional application of the nucleic acid sequences of the invention is in therapeutic methods of treatment for such disorders.
摘要:
Monoclonal antibodies capable of immunoprecipitating labeled dihydropyridine receptor material from digitonin-solubilized skeletal muscle triads are disclosed. Said antibodies recognize a 170,000 dalton protein subunit of the dihydropyridine receptor.
摘要:
Disclosed are 1,4-dihydropyridine immunogen conjugates of immunogenic carrier materials coupled to a 1,4-dihydropyridine derivative. Said conjugates are useful for the preparation of antibodies thereto which antibodies may be used in immunoassays for 1,4-dihydropyridine compounds. An affinity column useful for the purification of said antibodies is also disclosed.
摘要:
Disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions and methods for treating or preventing muscle diseases or the symptoms thereof. The compositions typically include and the methods typically utilize phosphodiesterase type 5A inhibitors.
摘要:
Disclosed herein are compositions and methods for the detection of primary adhalinopathy. More specifically, disclosed herein are nucleic acid probes which hybridize specifically, under stringent hybridization conditions, to a mutant adhalin gene or the complement thereof, but not to the corresponding region of a wild-type adhalin gene. Also disclosed are methods for the detection of a mutation in the human adhalin gene which is responsible for primary adhalinopathy. Such methods include the use of the nucleic acid probes of the invention for detection of the myopathy by hybridization, as well as detection by direct DNA sequencing techniques.
摘要:
Disclosed are methods for the preparation of polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies which bind specifically to a 43 kDa dystrophin-associated. The molecular weight of the 43 kDa protein is determined by electrophoretic separation under denaturing conditions, followed by transfer to a solid support and staining with wheat germ agglutinin. The method includes a step in which the peptide PKNMTPYRSPPPYVP (SEQ ID NO: 15) is administered to stimulate an immune response. Also disclosed are polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies which bind specifically to the 43 kDa dystrophin-associated protein.
摘要翻译:公开了制备与43kDa肌营养不良蛋白相关的特异性结合的多克隆和单克隆抗体的方法。 通过在变性条件下的电泳分离测定43kDa蛋白质的分子量,随后转移到固体支持物上并用小麦胚芽凝集素染色。 该方法包括施用肽PKNMTPYRSPPPYVP(SEQ ID NO:15)以刺激免疫应答的步骤。 还公开了与43kDa肌营养不良蛋白相关蛋白特异性结合的多克隆和单克隆抗体。
摘要:
Disclosed are nucleic acid sequences encoding components of the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex. The components include dystroglycan, the 50 kDa protein component and the 59 kDa protein component. Also disclosed are compositions and methods which relate to the disclosed sequences.