Patent ID: 9551718
Date: 2017-01-24
CPC Classifications: A61K,C07K,G01N

Claim:
1. An assay for selecting a candidate modulator of a TMEM120A ion channel and/or a candidate modulator of chronic pain, the steps comprising: a. contacting a lipid membrane unit comprising TMEM120A polypeptide with a test compound; b. quantitating the TMEM120A ion channel activity; c. comparing the ion channel activity of the TMEM120A polypeptide with a control; and d. selecting the test compound that modulates the ion channel activity compared to the control; wherein prior to step b, the TMEM120A is activated by a method comprising: i. administering a mechanical pressure to the lipid membrane unit to increase membrane tension and evoke mechanosensitive ion channel (MSC) activation; and/or ii. a hypo-osmotic stimulus to induce lipid membrane stretching; wherein the mechanical pressure is a negative or a positive pressure and the hypo-osmotic stimulus is optionally a hypo-osmotic solution.