Patent ID: 6558900
Filing Date: 2003-05-06
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
An in vitro method for assaying compositions for activation or inhibition of the initiation of apoptosis, said method comprising the steps of:(a) providing an S-100 cell extract supernatant, wherein said extract is prepared from disrupted eukaryotic cells and contains little or no cytochrome C, said cells having not been induced to undergo apoptosis; (b) contacting a candidate composition with the supernatant of step (a) in the presence of dATP or dADP and cytochrome C; and (c) detecting CPP32 protease activity or nuclease activity and comparing these activities to a control supernatant which was not contacted with the candidate composition, thereby identifying a candidate composition as an activator or inhibitor of apoptosis when the protease or nuclease activity is greater or less in the presence than in the absence of the candidate composition.