Inventors:
Jeffrey Brodsky - Pittsburgh PA, US
Edward Fisher - Scarsdale NY, US
Assignee:
University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh PA
International Classification:
A61K 38/00, A61P 43/00, C07H 21/04, C12N 1/00, C12N 5/00, C12Q 1/68, G01N 33/53
US Classification:
514044000, 435255100, 435325000, 435006000, 435007100, 435007900, 536023500, 536023720, 536023740
Abstract:
Hsp110 proteins are shown herein to stabilize nascent ApoB protein. Methods of down-regulating expression of ApoB, and thus down-regulating serum cholesterol levels, are therefore, provided, including, without limitation, inhibition of Hsp110 expression by any method, for example and without limitation, by RNA interference (RNAi). It also has been found that ApoB gene-containing cells are useful in identifying compounds and genes that affect the expression of longer forms of ApoB. Lastly, a firefly luciferase-derived polypeptide is shown herein to bind the peptide binding site of Hsp110, thus serving as a powerful analytical reagent for identifying compounds, such as small molecule compounds, that would interfere with Hsp110-moderated stabilization of ApoB.