MODULATING PHOTOREACTIVITY IN A CELL

• US 20100267647A1
• Filed: 06/28/2010
• Published: 10/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: UT-Battelle LLC
• Original Assignee: UT-Battelle LLC
• Inventors: Kuritz, Tanya, Humayun, Mark S., Greenbaum, Elias
• Application Number:
  US12/824,843
• Publication Number:
  US 20100267647A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 514/20.800
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 38/00 Medicinal preparations containing peptides peptides containing beta-lactam rings A61K31/00; cyclic dipeptides not having in their molecule any other peptide link than those which form their ring, e.g. piperazine-2,5-diones, A61K31/00; ergot alkaloids of the cyclic peptide type A61K31/48; containing macromolecular compounds having statistically distributed amino acid units A61K31/74; medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies A61K39/00; medicinal preparations characterised by the non-active ingredients, e.g. peptides as drug carriers, A61K47/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 41/0071 PDT with porphyrins having exactly 20 ring atoms, i.e. based on the non-expanded tetrapyrrolic ring system, e.g. bacteriochlorin, chlorin-e6, or phthalocyanines
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 27/02 Ophthalmic agents
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 14/705 Receptors; Cell surface antigens; Cell surface determinants tumour specific antigens C07K14/4748

Abstract

Photoreactivity in a cell is modulated by incorporating an isolated optical trigger on the surface or in the membrane of the cell. Exposure of a cell bearing incorporated optical triggers causes the generation of a measurable physiological signal.

Claims

1. A method for imparting photoreactivity to a nerve cell lacking photoreactivity, the method comprising delivering a photovoltaic molecule or complex of molecules onto the surface or in the membrane of the nerve cell.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the photovoltaic molecule or complex of molecules comprises a Photosystem I reaction center.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the nerve cell is a retinal ganglion cell.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the nerve cell is a retinal bipolar cell.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the nerve cell is a photoreceptor cell.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the nerve cell is a retinoblastoma cell.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the photovoltaic molecule or complex of molecules is within a proteoliposome.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the proteoliposome is conjugated to an antibody that specifically targets said nerve cell.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein exposure of the photovoltaic molecule or complex of molecules to light induces an electrical potential in the cell.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the photovoltaic molecule or complex of molecules is delivered to the nerve cell in vivo.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the nerve cell is in a subject with a degenerative retinopathy.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the degenerative retinopathy is macular degeneration.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the degenerative retinopathy is retinitis pigmentosa.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the photovoltaic molecule or complex of molecules is selected from the group consisting of Photosystem I, Photosystem II, rhodopsin, rhodopsin-like molecules, bacteriorhodopsin, and artificial photosynthetic reaction centers.