Methods of inhibiting tau-protein kinase I activity, inhibiting neuronal cell death and treating alzheimer's disease and tau-protein kinase I

Abstract

A preventive or therapeutic agent for Arzheimer's disease which comprises a substance exhibiting an inhibitory action to tau-protein kinase I as an effective component is provided. A pharmaceutical composition comprising said agent and a method of inhibiting neuronal cell death in the brain are also provided.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A preventive or therapeutic agent for Arzheimer's disease which comprises a substance exhibiting an inhibitory action to tau-protein kinase I as an effective component.  
     
     
         2 . The preventive or therpeutic agent for Arzheimer's disease according to  claim 1  in which the substance exhibiting an inhibitory action to tau-protein kinase I is the one which, when said substance is incubated together with neurons and amymoid beta-protein, has an action of inhibiting the death of said neurons.  
     
     
         3 . A preventive or therapeutic agent for Arizheimer's disease which comprises antisense oligonucleotide capable of hybridizing with mRNA or DNA of tau-protein kinase I.  
     
     
         4 . The preventive or therapeutic agnet for Arzheimer's disease according to  claim 3  in which the primary structure of the tau-protein kinase I is expressed by the amino acid sequence which is described in the Seq. ID No. 1 or No. 2 of the attached Sequence Listing.  
     
     
         5 . A pharmaceutical composition for prevention or therapy of Arzheimer's disease, which comprises a substance exhibiting an inhibitory action of tau-protein kinase and a pharmaceutically-acceptable carrier.  
     
     
         6 . The pharmaceutical composition according to  claim 5  in which the substance exhibiting an inhibitory action to tau-protein kinase I is the one which, when said substance is incubated together with neurons and amyloid beta-protein, has an action of inhibiting the death of said neurons.  
     
     
         7 . A pharmaceutical composition for preventinon or therapy of Arzheimer's disease, which comprises antisense oligonucleotide capable of hybridizing with mRNA or DNA of tau-protein kinase I.  
     
     
         8 . The pharmaceutical composition according to  claim 7  in which the primary structure of tau-protein kinase I is represented by the amino acid sequence which is described in the Seq. ID No. 1 or 2 of the attached Sequence Listing.  
     
     
         9 . A method for screening an agent useful for a prevention or therapy of Arzheimer's disease, characterized in that amyloid beta-protein, nerve cells and an agent presumed to be effective as a preventive or therapeutic agent for Arzheimer's disease are incubated and, when death of said nerve cells is inhibited, then said agent is judged to be effective as a preventive or therapeutic agent for Arzheimer's disease.  
     
     
         10 . A method of inhibiting the neuronal cell death in the brain, characterized in that a substance exhibiting an inhibitory action to tau-protein kinase I is applied to the neurons in the brain.  
     
     
         11 . A method of inhibiting the neuronal cell death in the brain, characterized in that an antisense oligonucleotide capable of hybridizing with mRNA or DNA of tau-protein kinase I is applied to the neurons in the brain.  
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11  in which the primary structure of tau-protein kinase I is expressed by the amino acid sequence described in the Seq. ID No. 1 or No. 2 of the attached Sequence Listing.  
     
     
         13 . Tau-Protein kinase I originated from human being, which is characterized by being represented by the amino acid sequence described in the Seq. ID No. 1 of the attached Sequence Listing or the partial sequence thereof.  
     
     
         14 . Gene which encodes the human-originated tau-protein kinase I described in  claim 13 .  
     
     
         15 . The gene according to  claim 14  in which said gene is represented by the base sequence descrbed in the Seq. ID No. 1 of the attached Sequence Listing.  
     
     
         16 . Recombinant human-originated tau-protein kinase I.  
     
     
         17 . Recombinant vector which is capable of expressing recombinant human-originated tau-protein kinase. I.  
     
     
         18 . Transformant which is obtained by subjecting the host cells to a transformation using the recombinant vector of  claim 17 .  
     
     
         19 . A method of producing recombinant human-originated tau-protein kinase I, characterized in that, the transformant of  claim 18  is incubated and the recombinant human-originated protein kinase I is collected from its culture.