Patent ID: 8173613
Filing Date: 2012-05-08
Classification: A61K,C12N,G01N

Abstract:
1. A method of decreasing the mammalian Twist/mammalian Twist homodimer ratio relative to the mammalian Twist/E2A protein heterodimer ratio in a metastatic cell comprising contacting cells selected from a group consisting of metastatic cells in a mammal, cells in a mouse or in vitro cell lines with an agent characterized by the ability to decrease the ratio of mammalian Twist/mammalian Twist homodimers to mammalian Twist/E2A protein heterodimers in the cells, wherein said agent has been selected by a method comprising: a) providing the agent to be screened for the ability to decrease the ratio of mammalian Twist/mammalian Twist homodimers to mammalian Twist/E2A protein heterodimers; b) forming a reaction mixture comprising the agent to be screened for the ability to decrease the ratio of mammalian Twist/mammalian Twist homodimers to mammalian Twist/E2A protein heterodimers, and a mixture of mammalian Twist and E2A proteins; c) incubating the reaction mixture of step b) for a period of time and under conditions appropriate for the formation of mammalian Twist/mammalian Twist homodimers and mammalian Twist/E2A protein heterodimers; d) determining the ratio of homodimer to heterodimer following the incubation of step c); e) comparing the ratio of homodimer to heterodimer determined in step d) to the ratio detected in an otherwise identical incubation mixture which does not include an agent to be screened for the ability to decrease the ratio of mammalian Twist/mammalian Twist homodimers to mammalian Twist/E2A protein heterodimers, a substantial decrease in the ratio determined in step d) to that of the otherwise identical incubation mixture being indicative of the agent of step b) being characterized by the ability to decrease the ratio of mammalian Twist/mammalian Twist homodimers relative to mammalian Twist/E2A protein heterodimers and where in the agent is selected from one or more of a group consisting of gene expression constructs or inhibitory RNA molecules and said agent is characterized by the ability to promote mammalian Twist/E2A protein heterodimerization or by the ability to inhibit mammalian Twist/mammalian Twist homodimerization.