A METHOD OF MODULATING CELLULAR ACTIVITY

摘要

The present invention relates generally to a method of modulating cellular activity and to agents for use therein. More particularly, the present invention provides a method of modulating cellular activity by modulating phosphorylation of sphingosine kinase and, thereby, its activation. In a related aspect, the present invention provides a method of modulating sphingosine kinase functional activity via modulation of its phosphorylation and agents for use therein. The present invention still further extends to sphingosine kinase variants and to functional derivatives, homologues or analogues, chemical equivalents and mimetics thereof exhibiting reduced and/or ablated capacity to undergo phosphorylation. The method and molecules of the present invention are useful, inter alia, in the treatment and/or prophylaxis of conditions characterised by aberrant, unwanted or otherwise inappropriate cellular and/or sphingosine kinase functional activity. The present invention is further directed to methods for identifying and/or designing agents capable of modulating sphingosine kinase phosphorylation.