Patent ID: 7705195
Filing Date: 2010-04-27
Classification: A61P,C07K,G01N

Abstract:
1. A method for screening for biologically active agents that modulate hepatocellular carcinoma development, the method comprising: administering a candidate agent to a transgenic mouse having a genome comprising a stably integrated transgene encoding FGF19 operably linked to a myosin light chain (MLC) promoter, wherein said transgene expresses FGF19 under control of the MLC promoter in a skeletal muscle cell and FGF19 expression results in said mouse developing hepatocellular carcinoma characterized by increased proliferation of pericentral hepatocytes, or elevated levels of alpha-fetoprotein as compared with a control non-transgenic mouse; and determining the extent of development of the hepatocellular carcinoma as indicated by the extent of proliferation of pericentral hepatocytes, or elevated levels of alpha-fetoprotein of said mouse as compared with a control transgenic mouse that is untreated with said candidate agent.