Patent ID: 7625713

Claim:
A process for screening for a ligand molecule that possesses an agonist biological activity on the NEP binding site for the QHNPR (SEQ ID NO: 2) pentapeptide, comprising: a) preparing a cell culture or preparing an organ specimen or a tissue sample containing NEP binding sites for the QHNPR (SEQ ID NO: 2) pentapeptide; b) incubating the cell culture, organ specimen or tissue sample of a) at concentrations allowing measurement of NEP enzymatic activity under initial velocity conditions in the presence of a candidate ligand molecule, a half-saturating concentration of QHNPR (SEQ ID NO: 2) pentapeptide, and a NEP substrate during a time sufficient for the hydrolysis of the NEP substrate to take place under initial velocity conditions; c) quantifying the activity of the NEP present in the cell culture, organ specimens, or tissue sample of a) by measuring the levels of NEP substrate hydrolysis in the presence and in the absence of the candidate ligand molecule and in the presence and in the absence of QHNPR (SEQ ID NO: 2) pentapeptide.