Patent ID: 6127178
Filing Date: 2000-10-03
Classification: A61K,C07K,G01N

Abstract:
A method for modulating apoptosis of an isolated target cell having an undesirable level of apoptotic induction, the method comprising the steps of introducing into the cell a nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide comprising an N-terminal domain of a natural Id protein, said natural Id protein comprising an HLH domain and said N-terminal domain consisting of all residues N-terminal to said HLH domain, or a fragment of said N-terminal domain sufficient to modulate apoptosis in the cell, under conditions whereby the nucleic acid is expressed in the cell and apoptosis of the cell is modulated, and confirming the modulation of apoptosis of the cell, wherein said polypeptide does not have a functional Id HLH domain and the apoptosis modulation of the cell is independent of the ability of the polypeptide to form dimers via HLH-HLH interactions.