| Recent
Patents on DNA & Gene Sequences
ISSN: 1872-2156
Recent Patents on DNA &
Gene Sequences
Volume 1, Number 3, November
2007
Contents
Targeting the Human Thioredoxin System by Diverse
Strategies to Treat Cancer and Other Pathologies
Pp. 164-175
Kathryn F. Tonissen
[Abstract]
Transcriptional Regulation of the P53 Tumor Suppressor
Gene: A Potential Target for Cancer Therapeutics?
Pp. 176-185
David Reisman and Kristy Boggs
[Abstract]
Recent Patents Relating to HCV Molecules Like Putative
Targets for Therapeutic Intervention Pp. 186-194
Valli De Re, Domenico Sansonno, Paolo De Paoli, SilvanoGeremia,
Gatti Pietro, Laura Caggiari, Maria Paola Simula and Giuseppe
Toffoli
[Abstract]
Recent Patents of TGF-β
Family and VEGF Associated with Ovarian Follicular Development
in Mammals Pp. 195-199
Takashi Shimizu, Yasuyuki Abe, Takuya Wakai, Yumi Hoshino,
Akio Miyamoto and Eimei Sato
[Abstract]
Polypeptide Toxins from Animals Venoms Pp.
200-206
Sergey A. Kozlov
[Abstract]
Recent Patents on DNA & Genes Sequences - In
Vivo Electroporation of Gene Sequences for Therapeutic
and Vaccination Applications Pp. 207-213
Ruxandra Draghia-Akli and Amir S. Khan
[Abstract]
Recent Developments in Design and Application of Plant
Virus based Gene Vectors Pp. 214-226
Nemat S. Bashir
[Abstract]
Recent Developments in Patents Targeting Toll-like
Receptor Genes Pp. 227-239
Mohini Saini1, Dhanjit K. Das, Animesh Dhara1 and Praveen
K. Gupta
[Abstract]
Patent Selections Pp. 240
Abstracts
[Back to top]
Targeting the Human Thioredoxin System
by Diverse Strategies to Treat Cancer and Other Pathologies
Kathryn F. Tonissen
Redox control is an important determinant of cellular function
and viability. The thioredoxin system is a major antioxidant
system that influences cellular redox state, stimulates cell
growth, inhibits apoptosis, activates numerous transcription
factors and regulates immune function. Both over and under
expression of the thioredoxin system can result in a disease
phenotype and therefore it has been the target of many therapeutic
strategies. High levels of thioredoxin expression have been
associated with aggressive cancers, poor patient prognosis
and resistance to some chemotherapy treatments. In contrast,
low levels of thioredoxin can cause diseases that develop
because of an imbalance between antioxidant systems and oxidative
stress, stimulants. A number of recent patents and patent
applications have been published that describe inventions
that either inhibit or enhance thioredoxin functionality.
Thioredoxin expression levels have been decreased through
antisense approaches and thioredoxin functionality has been
inhibited by synthetic compounds or by stimulating the production
of VDUP1, a natural thioredoxin inhibitor. Strategies designed
to enhance thioredoxin functionality include the addition
of recombinant thioredoxin or using gene delivery to treat
hepatic disease, inflammatory bowel disease, cardiovascular
disease, skin damage or cystic fibrosis. Mutant thioredoxin
molecules that target specific pathways or that exhibit increased
stability are also utilised.
[Back to top]
Transcriptional Regulation of the P53 Tumor Suppressor
Gene: A Potential Target for Cancer Therapeutics?
David Reisman and Kristy Boggs
The tightly regulated expression of p53 contributes to genomic
stability and transcription of the p53 gene is induced prior
to cells entering S-phase, possibly as a mechanism to insure
a rapid p53 response in the event of DNA damage. We have previously
described the cloning of an additional 1000bp of upstream
p53 sequences that we have demonstrated play a role in the
regulated expression of p53. As described in earlier reports
we identified that a member of the C/EPB family of transcription
factors may play a role in regulating p53. A particular C/EBPβ
isoform, C/EBPβ-2,
efficiently binds to the p53 promoter and induces its expression
in a fashion that reflects the pattern of p53 expression seen
as cells are induced to enter S-phase and is absent from cells
that are defective in proper p53 regulation. We conclude from
these findings that C/EBPβ-2
plays a central role in regulating p53 transcription during
the transition into S-phase. The recent development of novel
compounds that restore wild-type p53 activity to tumor cells
raises the possibility that understanding the means by which
p53 gene expression is deregulated in tumors cells could likely
lead to the development of novel therapeutic strategies designed
to return p53 to its normal expression.
[Back to top]
Recent Patents Relating to HCV Molecules Like Putative
Targets for Therapeutic Intervention
Valli De Re, Domenico Sansonno, Paolo De Paoli, SilvanoGeremia,
Gatti Pietro, Laura Caggiari, Maria Paola Simula and Giuseppe
Toffoli
In recent years, many pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies
have shifted their drug development for infectious diseases
from antibacterial to antiviral discovery. This trend reflects
the large population involved in viral diseases, the need
for chronic or long-term treatment, and significant unmet
needs. In particular, human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis
C virus (HCV), and hepatitis B virus have been the focus of
drug development, representing important areas of future growth.
This report provides an overview of the most recent patents
relating to HCV molecules as targets for therapeutic intervention,
outlining the key drug targets and steps where pharmacological
intervention can have a favorable therapeutic benefit.
Historically, HCV drug development has been hampered by the
lack of reliable cell culture systems and animal infection
models. However, early research studies have identified new
models of HCV infection, and the better acknowledgment of
the viral lifecycle have allowed the identification of several
highly promising targets, including protease, helicase, polymerase
or inhibitors of virus attachment, which are considered drug
candidates that can potentially change the treatment of HCV.
[Back to top]
Recent Patents of TGF-β
Family and VEGF Associated with Ovarian Follicular Development
in Mammals
Takashi Shimizu, Yasuyuki Abe, Takuya Wakai, Yumi Hoshino,
Akio Miyamoto and Eimei Sato
In mammalian ovary, follicular development in mammals is regulated
by the complex process including endocrine, paracrine and
autocrine. During the last decade, the role of growth factors
in ovarian folliculogenesis has been extensively studied in
mammals. In particular, a growing body of evidence indicates
that the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) system
plays a key role in follicular development and atresia in
the woman, rodents and domestic animal species. More recently,
the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) and growth differentiation
factor (GDF) that belong to TGF-β
family have been shown to be involved in the regulation of
follicle growth. In this paper, we will essentially consider
the role of these growth factor systems in mammalian ovary.
Moreover, we will review recent patents associated with ovarian
follicular development in mammals.
[Back to top]
Polypeptide Toxins from Animals Venoms
Sergey A. Kozlov
In the course of evolution, venomous animals developed highly
specialized venomous systems that provided for drastic increase
in hunting and defense efficiency. Venoms of a vast number
of animal species represent complex mixtures of compounds
such as ions, biogenic amines, polyamines, polypeptide neurotoxins,
cytolytic peptides, enzymes, etc. that exert different functions.
Natural toxins are sequentially variable molecules that are
very stable structurally and produce pronounced biological
effects on molecular targets. High activity made them very
attractive in terms of novel structure discovery and characterization.
In the present review we draw attention to the structure of
polypeptide molecules preferably in the 2-12 kDa molecular
mass range produced by various venomous animals that were
published in patent literature. The structures were reviewed
on the basis of functional relation to molecular targets.
We also compared the sequence information from patents with
Uniprot and other protein databanks to define structures that
were patented but missing from the public databases.
[Back to top]
Recent Patents on DNA & Genes Sequences - In
Vivo Electroporation of Gene Sequences for Therapeutic
and Vaccination Applications
Ruxandra Draghia-Akli and Amir S. Khan
Many recent studies have addressed the impact of gene patents
and methods of gene delivery on downstream research and innovation.
The field of gene therapy has progressed over the last 10
years due to the rapid advancement in delivery technology.
Efficient delivery of genes into target cells depends on the
absence of cell injury, oncogenic mutation or inflammation.
Gene transfer technology saw a significant boost by the applications
of in vivo electroporation. This approach is versatile
and safe and can be used to deliver nucleic acid fragments,
oligonucleotides, siRNA, and plasmids to a wide variety of
tissues, such as skeletal muscle, skin and liver. Many have
applied this approach in autoimmune or inflammatory diseases,
for the intratumoral delivery of therapeutic vectors, or for
systemic delivery of endocrine hormones, hematopoietic factors,
antibodies, enzymes, or numerous other protein drugs. This
technique has been found to strongly boost DNA vaccination
against infectious agents or tumor antigens. in vivo
Electroporation has been performed in humans. This review
will focus on the intellectual property revolving around recent
developments in the area of electroporation, including devices
and methodology for various applications.
[Back to top]
Recent Developments in Design and Application of Plant
Virus based Gene Vectors
Nemat S. Bashir
A new horizon is lit up by exploiting plant viruses as the
vectors to deliver foreign genes into plants for various purposes
such as production of valuable pharmaceutical proteins, to
understand pathogenesis of a plant virus, and to establish
gene silencing for blocking, for example, production of an
undesirable intermediate metabolite in a metabolic pathway.
Here, the recent patents concerning the design of new gene
vectors on the basis of the genomes of the viruses including
Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), Potato virus X
(PVX), Tobacco rattle virus (TRV), Cowpea mosaic
virus (CPMV), Bean Yellow dwarf virus (BeYDV),
Beet soil-borne mosaic virus (BSbMV) and Potato
mop top virus (PMTV) will be reviewed. Also, applications
of the recently designed vectors for production of foreign
proteins such as human lysosomal enzymes expressed from TMV-based
vectors, human and animal viral vaccines expressed from CPMV-based
vectors and glucose oxidase from BSbMV-based vector will be
reported. In addition, gene silencing capabilities of the
vectors based on PVX and the seed coating gene delivery system
will be considered.
[Back to top]
Recent Developments in Patents Targeting Toll-like
Receptor Genes
Mohini Saini1, Dhanjit K. Das, Animesh Dhara1 and Praveen
K. Gupta
Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are members of pattern recognition
receptor family involved in sensing and eliciting responses
against many pathogens based primarily on their molecular
patterns. TLRs are major markers of innate host defence and
are evolutionarily conserved across various species from insects
to humans. These type I transmembrane proteins expressed by
innate immune cells (dendritic cells, macrophages, NK cells),
cells of the adaptive immunity (T and B lymphocytes) and non-immune
cells (epithelial, endothelial cells and fibroblasts) orchestrate
the adaptive immunity to combat the infections. Thirteen TLRs
have been identified in mammals and the overlap between them
allows recognition of a diverse range of pathogens. Recent
research reviewed here is focused on modulating the innate
immunity in mammals through use of TLR agonists in combating
infections. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of TLR
genes associated with incidence and course of infectious diseases
and inherited diseases in human population are also reviewed.
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