Patent ID: 6329155
Filing Date: 2001-12-11
Classification: G01N,Y10S

Abstract:
An assay for identifying an agent which activates a cell surface neurotransmitter receptor which is linked to phospholipase C and protein kinase C, resulting in stimulation of non-amyloidogenic APP processing in the cell comprising the steps of:(a) contacting a culture of cells which are transfected with DNA encoding a cell surface neurotransmitter receptor linked to phospholipase C and protein kinase C with an agent to be assessed for its ability to activate cell surface neurotransmitter receptors, thereby generating a test culture;(b) incubating the test culture under conditions appropriate for APP processing to occur;(c) detecting the level of non-amyloidogenic APP processing derivatives produced by the cells in the test culture, thereby obtaining a test level; and(d) comparing the test level with the level of non-amyloidogenic APP processing derivatives produced by the cells of (a) in the absence of the agent,wherein if the level of non-amyloidogenic APP processing derivatives produced in the presence of the agent is greater than the level of non-amyloidogenic APP processing derivatives produced in the absence of the agent, the agent is an agent which activates the cell surface neurotransmitter receptor which is linked to phospholipase C and protein kinase C, resulting in stimulation of non-amyloidogenic APP processing.