Method for treating a subject suffering from a condition associated with an extracellular zinc sphingomyelinase
US5989803A · kind A · utility
Assignees
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 8, 1997 |
| Grant date | Nov 23, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 8, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2500/02
- WIPO fieldPharmaceuticals
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
The present invention provides for a method for treating a subject suffering from a condition associated with an extracellular zinc sphingomyelinase activity which comprises administering to the subject an amount of a zinc sphingmyelinase inhibitor effective to decrease extracellular zinc sphingomyelinase activity in the subject and thereby treat the subject. The present invention also provides for a method for determining whether a compound inhibits an activity of an extracellular zinc sphingomyelinase involving ceramide formation which comprises: (a) contacting a sample containing the zinc sphingomyelinase under acidic pH conditions known to be associated with the activity of such zinc sphingomyelinase, with: (i) a substrate of the zinc sphingomyelinase enzyme, and (ii) the compound being evaluated; (b) measuring the concentration of ceramide in the sample from (a); (c) determining the amount of zinc sphingomyelinase activity in the sample based upon the concentration of ceramide measured in step (b); and (d) comparing the amount of sphingomyelinase activity determined in step (c) with the amount of sphingomyelinase activity determined in the absence of the compound, so as to det…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.