METHODS OF REDUCING THE ACTIVITY OF AND REDUCING THE CONCENTRATION OF A MUTANT KIT PROTEIN

摘要

The present invention pertains to methods of reducing the activity of a mutant KIT protein and also to methods of reducing the concentration of a mutant KIT protein. The mutant KIT protein can be in a cell, or the mutant KIT protein can be in a host. The present inventive methods comprise administering to the cell or the host either an inhibitor of Hsp90, which binds to an ATP binding domain of Hsp90, or a compound comprising a macrocycle, such as 17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin. The mutant KIT protein can comprise a mutation in the kinase domain or the juxtamembrane domain. The host can be afflicted with a disease that is characterized by a mutant KIT protein, such as mastocytosis, gastrointestinal stromal tumor, mast cell leukemia, myelogenous leukemia, lymphoma, and testicular cancer.