Patent No. 5453361 Method for producing biologically active human brain derived neurotrophic factor
Patent No. 5453361
Method for producing biologically active human brain derived neurotrophic factor (Yancopoulos, et al., Sep 26, 1995)
Abstract
The present invention relates to nucleic acid sequences encoding brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), as well as BDNF protein produced in quantity using these nucleic acid sequences, as well as fragments and derivatives thereof. In addition, the invention relates to pharmacologic compositions and therapeutic uses of BDNF, having provided, for the first time, the means to generate sufficient quantities of substantially pure BDNF for clinical use. The invention also relates to antibodies directed toward BDNF or fragments thereof, having provided a method for generating sufficient immunogen. Further, by permitting a comparison of the nucleic acid sequences of BDNF and NGF, the present invention provides for the identification of homologous regions of nucleic acid sequence between BDNF and NGF, thereby defining a BDNF/NGF gene family; the invention provides a method for identifying and isolating additional members of this gene family.
Notes:
SUMMARY
OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to nucleic acid sequences encoding brain derived
neurotrophic factor (BDNF), to the substantially pure protein, peptide fragments
or derivatives produced in quantity therefrom, and to antibodies directed toward
BDNF protein, peptide fragments, or derivatives. The present invention makes
available, for the first time, sufficient quantities of BDNF to enable anti-BDNF
antibody production and to support diagnostic and therapeutic applications of
BDNF.
In various embodiments of the invention, the BDNF nucleic acids, proteins, peptides,
derivatives, or antibodies of the invention may be utilized in methods for the
diagnosis and treatment of a variety of neurologic diseases and disorders, and,
in particular, in the diagnosis and treatment of sensory neuron disorders and
retinal degeneration. Furthermore, in specific embodiments of the invention,
BDNF nucleic acids or BDNF gene products may be used in the diagnosis and treatment
of neuroblastoma tumor, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's disease. BDNF gene
products may also be used to facilitate incorporation of implants into nervous
tissue or, alternatively, to promote nerve regeneration following damage by
trauma, infarction, infection, or post-operatively, in additional specific embodiments
of the invention.
The invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising effective
amounts of BDNF gene products or, alternatively, antibodies directed toward
BDNF gene products, which may be utilized in the diagnosis or treatment of a
variety of neurological diseases and disorders.
In addition, by providing the full nucleotide sequence of BDNF, the present
invention allows for the comparison of BDNF and NGF genes, thereby identifying
homologous regions and defining a BDNF/NGF gene family. Accordingly, the present
invention relates to a method for identifying additional members of the BDNF/NGF
gene family. In a specific embodiment, the method of the invention is used to
identify a novel, non-NGF, non-BDNF member of the BDNF/NGF gene family. The
invention further provides for additional members of the BDNF/NGF gene family
identified according to the disclosed method and to their gene products.
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