Gene regulator

Abstract

The invention relates to the modulation of gene expression in a cell, also called gene control, in particular in relation to the treatment of a variety of diseases. The invention provides a method for modulating expression of a gene in a cell comprising providing the cell with a signalling molecule comprising a peptide or functional analogue thereof. Furthermore, the invention provides a method for identifying or obtaining a signalling molecule comprising a peptide or functional derivative or analogue thereof capable of modulating expression of a gene in a cell comprising providing the cell with a peptide or derivative or analogue thereof and determining the activity and/or nuclear translocation of a gene transcription factor.

1 . A method for identify a signaling molecule able to modulate expression of a gene in a cell, the method comprising:
 providing a first cell with a molecule comprising a peptide, peptide derivative, or peptide analogue, and   determining relative up-regulation or down-regulation of at least one gene expressed in the first cell due to the molecule in comparison to a second cell not provided with the molecule,   so as to identify a signaling molecule able to modulate expression of the gene in the cell.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 synthesizing the molecule with desired up-regulating or down-regulating activity so as to obtain a signaling molecule able to modulate expression of the gene in the cell.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the molecule is an oligopeptide consisting of an amino acid sequence corresponding to a fragment of a naturally occurring polypeptide. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the naturally occurring polypeptide is human chorionic gonadotropin hormone (hCG). 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the molecule is an oligopeptide consisting of an amino acid sequence corresponding to a fragment of a naturally occurring polypeptide. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the naturally occurring polypeptide is human chorionic gonadotropin hormone (hCG). 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second cells are eukaryotic cells. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein presence of gene product is determined in the first cell and second cell, and the ratio of gene product found in the first and second cells is determined. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising determining whether the signaling molecule is membrane-permeable. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the signaling molecule modulates a factor to gene control. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 providing a multitude of molecules and determining binding of at least one of the molecules to a factor related to gene control.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the signaling molecule modulates a factor related to gene control. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 providing a multitude of molecules and determining binding of at least one of the molecules to a factor related to gene control.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the factor related to gene control comprises a transcription factor. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the factor related to gene control comprises a transcription factor. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the factor related to gene control comprises a transcription factor. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the factor related to gene control comprises a transcription factor. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the activity and/or nuclear translocation of a factor related to gene control in the first cell is determined. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the factor related to gene control is a NF-kappaB/Rel protein. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the molecule is selected from the group consisting of LQG, AQG, LQGV (SEQ ID NO:1), AQGV (SEQ ID NO:2), LQGA (SEQ ID NO:19), VLPALP (SEQ ID NO:13), ALPALP (SEQ ID NO:21), VAPALP (SEQ ID NO:22), ALPALPQ (SEQ ID NO:23), VLPAAPQ (SEQ ID NO:24), VLPALAQ (SEQ ID NO:25), LAGV (SEQ ID NO:26), VLAALP (SEQ ID NO:27), VLPALA (SEQ ID NO:28), VLPALPQ (SEQ ID NO:29), VLAALPQ (SEQ ID NO:30), VLPALPA (SEQ ID NO:31), GVLPALP (SEQ ID NO:32), LPGC (SEQ ID NO:41), MTRV (SEQ ID NO:42), MTR, and WC. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the molecule consists of, at most, nine (9) amino acids.