Regulation of human caspase-1-like protease

Abstract

Reagents which regulate human caspase-1-like protease activity and reagents which bind to human caspase-1-like protease gene products can be used to treat an allergic disease, asthma, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.

1 . An isolated polynucleotide encoding a caspase-1-like protease polypeptide and being selected from the group consisting of: 
 a) a polynucleotide encoding a caspase-1-like protease polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected form the group consisting of: 
 amino acid sequences which are at least about 60% identical to the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 2;  
 the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 2;  
 amino acid sequences which are at least about 60% identical to the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 6; and  
 the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 6.  
   b) a polynucleotide comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NOS: 1, 3 or 5;    c) a polynucleotide which hybridizes under stringent conditions to a polynucleotide specified in (a) and (b);    d) a polynucleotide the sequence of which deviates from the polynucleotide sequences specified in (a) to (c) due to the degeneration of the genetic code; and    e) a polynucleotide which represents a fragment, derivative or allelic variation of a polynucleotide sequence specified in (a to (d).    
     
     
         2 . An expression vector containing any polynucleotide of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         3 . A host cell containing the expression vector of  claim 2 .  
     
     
         4 . A substantially purified caspase-1-like protease polypeptide encoded by a polynucleotide of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         5 . A method for producing a caspase-1-like protease polypeptide, wherein the method comprises the following steps: 
 a) culturing the host cell of  claim 3  under conditions suitable for the expression of the caspase-1-like protease polypeptide; and    b) recovering the caspase-1-like protease polypeptide from the host cell culture.    
     
     
         6 . A method for detection of a polynucleotide encoding a caspase-1-like protease polypeptide in a biological sample comprising the following steps: 
 a) hybridizing any polynucleotide of  claim 1  to a nucleic acid material of a biological sample, thereby forming a hybridization complex; and    b) detecting said hybridization complex.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein before hybridization, the nucleic acid material of the biological sample is amplified.  
     
     
         8 . A method for the detection of a polynucleotide of  claim 1  or a caspase-1-like protease polypeptide of  claim 4  comprising the steps of: 
 contacting a biological sample with a reagent which specifically interacts with the polynucleotide or the caspase-1-like protease polypeptide.  
 
     
     
         9 . A diagnostic kit for conducting the method of any one of  claims 6  to  8 .  
     
     
         10 . A method of screening for agents which decrease the activity of a caspase-1-like protease, comprising the steps of: 
 contacting a test compound with any caspase-1-like protease polypeptide encoded by any polynucleotide of  claim 1;     detecting binding of the test compound to the caspase-1-like protease polypeptide, wherein a test compound which binds to the polypeptide is identified as a potential therapeutic agent for decreasing the activity of a caspase-1-like protease.    
     
     
         11 . A method of screening for agents which regulate the activity of a caspase-1-like protease, comprising the steps of: 
 contacting a test compound with a caspase-1-like protease polypeptide encoded by any polynucleotide of  claim 1;  and    detecting a caspase-1-like protease activity of the polypeptide, wherein a test compound which increases the caspase-1-like protease activity is identified as a potential therapeutic agent for increasing the activity of the caspase-1-like protease, and wherein a test compound which decreases the caspase-1-like protease activity of the polypeptide is identified as a potential therapeutic agent for decreasing the activity of the caspase-1-like protease.    
     
     
         12 . A method of screening for agents which decrease the activity of a caspase-1-like protease, comprising the steps of: 
 contacting a test compound with any polynucleotide of  claim 1  and detecting binding of the test compound to the polynucleotide, wherein a test compound which binds to the polynucleotide is identified as a potential therapeutic agent for decreasing the activity of caspase-1-like protease.    
     
     
         13 . A method of reducing the activity of caspase-1-like protease, comprising the steps of: 
 contacting a cell with a reagent which specifically binds to any polynucleotide of  claim 1  or any caspase-1-like protease polypeptide of  claim 4 , whereby the activity of caspase-1-like protease is reduced.    
     
     
         14 . A reagent that modulates the activity of a caspase-1-like protease polypeptide or a polynucleotide wherein said reagent is identified by the method of any of the  claim 10  to  12 .  
     
     
         15 . A pharmaceutical composition, comprising: 
 the expression vector of  claim 2  or the reagent of  claim 14  and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.    
     
     
         16 . Use of the pharmaceutical composition of  claim 15  for modulating the activity of a caspase-1-like protease in a disease.  
     
     
         17 . Use of  claim 16  wherein the disease is an allergic disease, asthma, cancer or a neurodegenerative disease.  
     
     
         18 . A cDNA encoding a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2 or 6.  
     
     
         19 . The cDNA of  claim 18  which comprises SEQ ID NO:1, 3 or 5.  
     
     
         20 . The cDNA of  claim 18  which consists of SEQ ID NO:1, 3 or 5.  
     
     
         21 . An expression vector comprising a polynucleotide which encodes a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2 or 6.  
     
     
         22 . The expression vector of  claim 21  wherein the polynucleotide consists of SEQ ID NO:1, 3 or 5.  
     
     
         23 . A host cell comprising an expression vector which encodes a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2 or 6.  
     
     
         24 . The host cell of  claim 23  wherein the polynucleotide consists of SEQ ID NO:1, 3 or 5.  
     
     
         25 . A purified polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2 or 6.  
     
     
         26 . The purified polypeptide of  claim 25  which consists of the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2 or 6.  
     
     
         27 . A fusion protein comprising a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2 or 6.  
     
     
         28 . A method of producing a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2 or 6, comprising the steps of: 
 culturing a host cell comprising an expression vector which encodes the polypeptide under conditions whereby the polypeptide is expressed; and    isolating the polypeptide.    
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the expression vector comprises SEQ ID NO:1, 3 or 5.  
     
     
         30 . A method of detecting a coding sequence for a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence-shown in SEQ ID NO:2 or 6, comprising the steps of: 
 hybridizing a polynucleotide comprising 11 contiguous nucleotides of SEQ ID NO:1, 3 or 5 to nucleic acid material of a biological sample, thereby forming a hybridization complex; and    detecting the hybridization complex.    
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30  further comprising the step of amplifying the nucleic acid material before the step of hybridizing.  
     
     
         32 . A kit for detecting a coding sequence for a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2 or 6, comprising: 
 a polynucleotide comprising 11 contiguous nucleotides of SEQ ID NO: 1, 3 or 5; and    instructions for the method of  claim 30 .    
     
     
         33 . A method of detecting a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2 or 6, comprising the steps of: 
 contacting a biological sample with a reagent that specifically binds to the polypeptide to form a reagent-polypeptide complex; and    detecting the reagent-polypeptide complex.    
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33  wherein the reagent is an antibody.  
     
     
         35 . A kit for detecting a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2 or 6, comprising: 
 an antibody which specifically binds to the polypeptide; and    instructions for the method of  claim 33 .    
     
     
         36 . A method of screening for agents which can modulate the activity of a human caspase-1-like protease, comprising the steps of: 
 contacting a test compound with a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: (1) amino acid sequences which are at least about 60% identical to the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2 or 6 and (2) the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2 or 6; and    detecting binding of the test compound to the polypeptide, wherein a test compound which binds to the polypeptide is identified as a potential agent for regulating activity of the human caspase-1-like protease.    
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36  wherein the step of contacting is in a cell.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36  wherein the cell is in vitro.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 36  wherein the step of contacting is in a cell-free system.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 36  wherein the polypeptide comprises a detectable label.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 36  wherein the test compound comprises a detectable label.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 36  wherein the test compound displaces a labeled ligand which is bound to the polypeptide.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 36  wherein the polypeptide is bound to a solid support.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 36  wherein the test compound is bound to a solid support.  
     
     
         45 . A method of screening for agents which modulate an activity of a human caspase-1-like protease, comprising the steps of: 
 contacting a test compound with a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: (1) amino acid sequences which are at least about 60% identical to the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2 or 6 and (2) the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2 or 6; and    detecting an activity of the polypeptide, wherein a test compound which increases the activity of the polypeptide is identified as a potential agent for increasing the activity of the human caspase-1-like protease, and wherein a test compound which decreases the activity of the polypeptide is identified as a potential agent for decreasing the activity of the human caspase-1-like protease.    
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45  wherein the step of contacting is in a cell.  
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 45  wherein the cell is in vitro.  
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 45  wherein the step of contacting is in a cell-free system.  
     
     
         49 . A method of screening for agents which modulate an activity of a human caspase-1-like protease, comprising the steps of: 
 contacting a test compound with a product encoded by a polynucleotide which comprises the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:1, 3 or 5; and    detecting binding of the test compound to the product, wherein a test compound which binds to the product is identified as a potential agent for regulating the activity of the human caspase-1-like protease.    
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49  wherein the product is a polypeptide.  
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 49  wherein the product is RNA.  
     
     
         52 . A method of reducing activity of a human caspase-1-like protease, comprising the step of: 
 contacting a cell with a reagent which specifically binds to a product encoded by a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:1, 3 or 5, whereby the activity of a human caspase-1-like protease is reduced.    
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52  wherein the product is a polypeptide.  
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 53  wherein the reagent is an antibody.  
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 52  wherein the product is RNA.  
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 55  wherein the reagent is an antisense oligonucleotide.  
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 56  wherein the reagent is a ribozyme.  
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 52  wherein the cell is in vitro.  
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 52  wherein the cell is in vivo.  
     
     
         60 . A pharmaceutical composition, comprising: 
 a reagent which specifically binds to a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2 or 6; and    a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.    
     
     
         61 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 60  wherein the reagent is an antibody.  
     
     
         62 . A pharmaceutical composition, comprising: 
 a reagent which specifically binds to a product of a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:1, 3 or 5; and    a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.    
     
     
         63 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 62  wherein the reagent is a ribozyme.  
     
     
         64 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 62  wherein the reagent is an antisense oligonucleotide.  
     
     
         65 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 62  wherein the reagent is an antibody.  
     
     
         66 . A pharmaceutical composition, comprising: 
 an expression vector encoding a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2 or 6; and    a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.    
     
     
         67 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 66  wherein the expression vector comprises SEQ ID NO:1, 3 or 5.  
     
     
         68 . A method of treating a caspase-1-like protease dysfunction related disease, wherein the disease is selected from an allergic disease, asthma, cancer or a neurodegenerative disease, comprising the step of: 
 administering to a patient in need thereof a therapeutically effective dose of a reagent that modulates a function of a human caspase-1-like protease, whereby symptoms of the caspase-1-like protease dysfunction related disease are ameliorated.    
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 68  wherein the reagent is identified by the method of  claim 36 .  
     
     
         70 . The method of  claim 68  wherein the reagent is identified by the method of  claim 45 .  
     
     
         71 . The method of  claim 68  wherein the reagent is identified by the method of  claim 49.