TORC POLYNUCLEOTIDES AND POLYPEPTIDES, AND METHODS OF USE

摘要

The present invention relates to a broad range of methods that utilize a transducer of regulated CREB (TORC)-related polynucleotide, polypeptide, or TORC-specific antibody. In addition the invention relates to TORC-related polynucleotide, polypeptide, or TORC-specific antibody compositions, including variants of TORC wild-type sequences. Exemplary methods include a method of stimulating a TORC related process in a cell as well as a method of inhibiting a TORC-related process in a cell, and a method of inhibiting TORC-related processes in a cell. The invention additionally disclosed therapeutic methods of substantially inhibiting the development of, treating, or ameliorating a disease or pathological condition in a subject related to an abnormal level of a TORC-activated process in a cell that includes administering one or more therapeutically effective doses to the subject of either a substance that modulates accumulation of a TORC polypeptide in a subcellular region of the cell, or of a substance that inhibits expression of a TORC polypeptide in the cell. In an additional aspect a method of identifying an agent that modulates the activity of a TORC-related process in a cell is disclosed. In still a further aspect the invention relates to a method of detecting the presence or quantifying the amount of a TORC polypeptide in a sample. In a further aspect, a method is disclosed of determining whether the amount of a TORC polypeptide in a sample differs from the amount of the TORC polypeptide in a reference. An additional aspect relates to a method of contributing to the diagnosis or prognosis of, or to developing a therapeutic strategy for, a disease or pathology in a first subject, wherein the subcellular localization of a TORC polypeptide in the pathology is known to differ from the subcellular localization of the TORC polypeptide in a nonpathological state.