PYK2 and inflammation

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to the fields of immunology and medicine, and more specifically to the field of cellular signal transduction. The present invention relates, inter alia, to methods for diagnosis, treatment, and identification of therapeutics for particular inflammation-related diseases or disorders characterized by an interaction between a PYK2 polypeptide and a natural binding partner.

1 . A method for identifying compounds potentially useful to treat or to prevent a disease or disorder, wherein said disease or disorder is characterized by an inflammatory response involving an abnormality in a signal transduction pathway that includes an interaction between a PYK2 polypeptide and a natural binding partner, comprising assaying one or more compounds for those able to modulate said interaction as a means to identify said potentially useful compounds.  
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said disease or disorder characterized by an inflammatory response is selected from the group consisting of inflammatory bowel diseases and connective tissue disease.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said one or more compounds modulate said interaction in vitro.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said one or more compounds modulate said interaction in vivo.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said one or more compounds is selected from the group consisting of tyrphostins, quinazolines, quinoxolines, quinolines, and indolinones.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein one or more compounds is one or more indolinones.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said interaction is selected from the group consisting of PYK2 phosphorylation, PYK2 natural binding partner phosphorylation, PYK2 de-phosphorylation, PYK2 natural binding partner de-phosphorylation, and complex formation between PYK2 and a natural binding partner.  
     
     
         8 . A method for diagnosis of a disease or disorder, wherein said disease or disorder is characterized by an inflammatory response involving an abnormality in a signal transduction pathway that includes an interaction between a PYK2 polypeptide and a natural binding partner, comprising detecting a change in said interaction as an indication of said disease or disorder.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said disease or disorder characterized by an inflammatory response is selected from the group consisting of inflammatory bowel diseases and connective tissue diseases.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said inflammatory bowel diseases are selected from the group consisting of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's Disease.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said connective tissue diseases are selected from the group consisting of rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, progressive systemic sclerosis, mixed connective tissue disease, and Sjögren's syndrome.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said interaction is selected from the group consisting of PYK2 phosphorylation, PYK2 natural binding partner phosphorylation, PYK2 de-phosphorylation, PYK2 natural binding partner de-phosphorylation, and complex formation between PYK2 and a natural binding partner.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said change is an increase or decrease in said interaction.  
     
     
         14 - 25 . (Canceled).