METHODS TO IDENTIFY MODULATORS OF CELL SIGNALING

摘要

Methods for assessing libraries of candidate modulators of intracellular signaling transmission pathways are described. The methods assess the ability of candidates from the library to inhibit the binding of peptides which represent participants in the signaling pathways as either a signal-generating protein or its cognate partner binding at a noncatalytic site. Specific peptides useful in this regard have been identified. In one application, modulators of the immune system can be identified by determining the ability of candidate substances to affect the interaction of PKC-theta or a fragment thereof with its cognate. The interaction can be measured using binding of the cognate as an index, or can be measured using a physiological response.