TRAF-3 DELETION ISOFORMS AND USES THEREOF

摘要

The present invention provides an isolated TRAF-3 deletion isoform encoded by the nucleic acid sequence (SEQ ID NO: 1) shown in Figure 15 (deletion isoform DELTA 130 nucleic acid). One embodiment of the present invention is an isolated TRAF-3 protein which comprises the sequence in Figure 16 (SEQ ID NO: 2) ( DELTA 130 protein). Another embodiment of the present invention is an isolated TRAF-3 deletion isoform encoded by the nucleic acid sequence (SEQ ID NO: 3) shown in Figure 17 (deletion isoform DELTA 221 nucleic acid). A further embodiment of the present invention is an isolated TRAF-3 deletion isoform protein which comprises the sequence in Figure 18 (SEQ ID NO: 4) (deletion isoform DELTA 221 protein). The invention also provides a method for identifying an agent that inhibits CD40-mediated cellular signaling in a cell which comprises: (a) contacting the cell with an agent under conditions wherein CD40-mediated cell activation occurs; and (b) determining whether CD40-mediated signaling is inhibited in the cell in the presence of the agent so as to identify whether the agent inhibits CD40-mediated cellular signaling.