Patent ID: 8017348

Claim:
A method for identifying a Parkin modulating candidate compound for treatment of Parkinson's Disease comprising: (a) exposing a mammalian cell expressing exogenous Parkin to a test agent, wherein the cell does not express an exogenous mammalian protein other than Parkin; (b) comparing proteasome function in the cell and proteasome function characteristic of a corresponding mammalian cell expressing Parkin but not exposed to the test agent; wherein an increased level of proteasome function in the cell exposed to the test agent indicates the agent is a candidate compound for treatment of Parkinson's Disease; (c) exposing a mammalian cell expressing an exogenous mammalian protein other than Parkin to the candidate compound, wherein the cell does not express exogenous Parkin; and (d) comparing proteasome function in the cell in (c) and proteasome function characteristic of a cell expressing the exogenous mammalian protein but not exposed to the candidate compound; wherein absence of an increased level of proteasome function in cells expressing the exogenous mammalian protein other than Parkin indicates the candidate compound is a Parkin modulating candidate compound for treatment of Parkinson's Disease.