Methods of using BCL-2 for the therapeutic treatment and prevention of diseases
View Patent ↗The invention provides a method of treating a disease or pathological condition resulting in apoptotic cell death. The method includes increasing the activity of Bcl-2 in cells affected by the disease or pathological condition. Diseases or pathological conditions can include, for example, neurodegenerative diseases, cancer and viral infections. Also provided is a method of prolonging the in vivo survival of transplanted cells for the treatment of a disease or pathological condition. The method includes increasing the activity of Bcl-2 in a population of cells and transplanting the population of cells having increased Bcl-2 activity into a subject. Diseases or pathological conditions can include, for example, neurodegenerative diseases, cancer and viral infections. A method to enhance the sensitivity of malignant cells to therapy is provided that includes decreasing the activity of Bcl-2 in the malignant cells. Methods to identify compounds that alter apoptotic cell death and to enhance monoclonal antibody production are also provided by the invention disclosed herein.
1. A method of prolonging the survival of a β-cell from a pancreatic islet comprising increasing the activity of Bcl-2 in said β-cell, wherein increasing the activity of Bcl-2 in said β-cell comprises introducing and expressing in said β-cell a nucleic acid molecule encoding full length Bcl-2, Bcl-2/P59S or BHRF-1 and wherein introducing said nucleic acid molecule in said β-cell occurs in vitro, thereby prolonging the survival of said β-cell.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid molecule encodes human Bcl-2.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid molecule encodes Bcl-2/P59S.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid molecule encodes BHRF-1.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising introducing into said β-cell a nucleic acid encoding Raf-1.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said β-cells are human β-cells.
7. A method of prolonging the survival of transplanted β-cells, comprising increasing the activity of Bcl-2 in a population of β-cells from pancreatic islets and transplanting said population of β-cells having increased Bcl-2 activity into a subject, wherein increasing the activity of Bcl-2 in said population of β-cells comprises introducing and expressing in said β-cells a nucleic acid molecule encoding full length Bcl-2, Bcl-2/P59S or BHRF-1 and wherein introducing said nucleic acid molecule in said β-cell occurs in vitro.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein said subject is a human.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein said nucleic acid molecule encodes human Bcl-2.
10. The method of claim 7 , wherein said nucleic acid molecule encodes Bcl-2/P59S.
11. The method of claim 7 , wherein said nucleic acid molecule encodes BHRF-1.
12. The method of claim 7 , further comprising introducing into said cells a nucleic acid encoding Raf-1.
13. The method of claim 7 , wherein said β-cells are human β-cells.
14. The method of claim 7 , wherein said subject is diabetic.
15. The method of claim 7 , wherein said subject is insulin-dependent.