Dominant Negative Inhibitor of Apoptosis Based on HIV Vpr

Reference #:

2002-180

Inventors/Contributors

Andrew D. Badley M.D.

Description

Apoptosis is a form of cell death that is abnormally regulated in a large variety of disease states. HIV Vpr is a protein which binds to a specific component in the apoptotic pathway called ANT. The dominant negative mutant that we have designed in the current study binds to ANT but prevents ANT function, thereby blocking apoptotic signaling. This dominant negative activity can increase survival in an animal model of fulminant apoptotic disease.

Patent Status

None