Patent ID: 7655463
Filing Date: 2010-02-02
Classification: A61K,A61P,C07K

Abstract:
1. A method of activating a Rearranged During Transfection (RET) receptor tyrosine kinase, the method comprising contacting a cell expressing RET and Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Family Receptor Alpha-3 (GFRalpha3) with an amount of a dimerized protein effective to bind to a complex comprising RET and GFRalpha3 and induce dimerization and autophosphorylation of RET, thereby activating the RET receptor tyrosine kinase, wherein the dimerized protein is a homodimer consisting of two polypeptides each of which consists of an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of amino acids 37-140 of SEQ ID NO:9 (NBN 104), amino acids 39-140 of SEQ ID NO:9 (NBN 102), and amino acids 42-140 of SEQ ID NO:9 (NBN 99).