Patent ID: 6790627
Filing Date: 2004-09-14
Classification: A01K,C12N,G01N

Abstract:
A method for identifying a compound which increases a cell's sensitivity to acid sphingomyelinase-related apoptosis, comprising:(a) exposing an acid sphingomyelinase-deficient cell, in the presence of a test compound, to a chemotherapeutic agent; (b) exposing an acid sphingomyelinase-deficient cell, in the absence of the test compound, to the chemotherapeutic agent; and (c) monitoring the exposed cell of steps (a) and (b) for the presence of an apoptotic morphology, such that if the cell from step (a) exhibits a more severe apoptotic morphology, than that of the cell from step (b) the test compound represents a compound which increases a cell's sensitivity to acid sphingomyelinase-related apoptosis,