Herpes simplex virus ICP4 as an inhibitor of apoptosis
US5876923A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 26, 1996 |
| Grant date | Mar 2, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 26, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC12N2710/16622
- WIPO fieldPharmaceuticals
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
The ICP4 protein of herpes simplex virus plays an important role in the transactivation of viral genes. The present invention discloses that ICP4 also has the ability to inhibit apoptosis. This function appears to reside in functional domain distinct from the transactivating function, as indicated by studies using temperature sensitive mutants of ICP4 that transactivating function at elevated temperatures. Also disclosed are methods for inhibition of apoptosis using ICP4 or an ICP4 encoding gene, such as an .alpha.4 gene, methods of inhibiting ICP4's apoptosis-inhibiting function, and methods for the production of recombinant proteins and treatment of HSV infections.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.