Abstract:
The present invention describes a direct interaction between myosin and the cytoplasmic domain of membrane proteins, particularly the phosphorylated cytoplasmic domains of the β-subunit of integrins. The invention provides methods of identifying agents which block integrin binding to myosin, methods of using agents which block integrin binding to myosin to modulate biological and pathological processes, and provides agents that block integrin mediated binding to myosin and thereby modulate related cellular or cellular component movement.
Abstract:
The present invention describes a direct interaction between myosin and the cytoplasmic domain of membrane proteins, particularly the phosphorylated cytoplasmic domains of the .beta.-subunit of integrins. The invention provides methods of identifying agents which block integrin binding to myosin, methods of using agents which block integrin binding to myosin to modulate biological and pathological processes, and provides agents that block integrin mediated binding to myosin and thereby modulate related cellular or cellular component movement.
Abstract:
A method for identifying an agent, which modulates the interaction of an integrin with myosin, comprises the steps of: a) incubating a peptide comprising the phosphorylated cytoplasmic domain of the b-subunit of the integrin with myosin and with the agent, and b) determining whether the agent modulates the binding of myosin to the peptide. An agent that modulates the interaction of myosin and integrin is used in the manufacture of a medicament for modulating the direct interaction of an integrin with myosin in a cell. An agent that blocks the bonding of integrin to myosin is used in the manufacture of a medicament to block the direct interaction of an integrin with myosin such as reducing the severity of a pathological state mediated by direct integrin attachment to myosin. The agent can be a peptide sequence derived from the cytoplasmic domain of an integrin wherein the tyrosine residues are phosphorylated such as a diphosphorylated peptide corresponding to residues 740-762 of b3-subunit having the following sequence: Biotin-D-T-A-N-N-P-L-Y(PO3)-K-E-A-T-S-T-F-T-N-I-T-Y(PO3)-R-G-T-COOH (peptide 1).