Use of a substance influencing the degree of phosphorylation of BAD for the treatment of atherosclerosis

摘要

Use of a substance (A) that inhibits or reduces dephosphorylation of phosphorylated BAD (= Bcl-2/Bcl-XL antagonist causing cell death) or increases phosphorylation of BAD, in endothelial cells (EC), for inhibition of atherosclerosis or reducing the risk of developing atherosclerosis. Independent claims are also included for: (1) methods for identifying agents that inhibit dephosphorylation of phosphoBAD by the Ser-Thr phosphatase PP2C; (2) method for identifying agents that modulate apoptosis of EC by inhibiting dephosphorylation of phosphoBAD by PP2C; (3) use of a substance (B) that binds to phosphoBAD and renders phospho groups (especially on Ser155) inaccessible to PPC2 for inhibiting apoptosis in EC; (4) use of polypeptide (C) that binds to PPC2 for inhibiting apoptosis of EC; (5) use of a substance (D) that complexes the mRNA of PPC2 for inhibiting apoptosis in EC; and (6) use of a nucleic acid construct, expressible in cells to form (D), for treatment of atherosclerosis.