Detection of cellular exposure to ethanol
US6255057A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 26, 1996 |
| Grant date | Jul 3, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 26, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2800/307
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The present invention relates to determinable effects of ethanol exposure on the cellular localization and abundance of specific proteins, referred to herein as ethanol indicative proteins. More specifically, the present invention is based, in part, on the discovery that the catalytic C.alpha. subunit of cAMP dependent protein kinase (PKA), which is normally localized in the Golgi apparatus area, appears to translocate to the nucleus upon exposure of a cell to ethanol. The present invention is further based on the observation that the .delta.-subunit of PKC translocates from the Golgi area to the perinucleus and the nucleus in response to ethanol exposure, while the .epsilon.-subunit of PKC migrates from the perinucleus into the cytoplasm. The present invention further relates to the discovery that the detectable amount of the regulatory subunit RI of PKA decreases, while the detectable amount of .alpha.PKC, .delta.PKC and .epsilon.PKC increases upon exposure of a cell to ethanol. These discoveries provide the basis for assays that may be used to detect the exposure of cells to ethanol and assays that may be used for the screening of drugs or the development of treatments to modula…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.