Compositions and methods for detecting proteolytic activity
First Claim
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1. A method of imaging, comprising:
- a) providingi) cells,ii) a mammalian subject, wherein said mammalian subject has endogenous expression of a target caspase,iii) a genetic construct, wherein said genetic construct encodes a chimeric polypeptide, where said chimeric polypeptide comprises1) an illumination domainwherein said illumination domain comprises a bioluminescence imaging unit,2) at least two silencing domains, wherein said at least two silencing domains comprise a receptor ligand binding unit, wherein said receptor ligand binding unit is a steroid hormone receptor ligand binding unit, and3) a target caspase recognition site,wherein said target caspase recognition site is configured to bind whith an endogenous target caspase expressed whithin said subject;
wherein said target caspase recongnition site comprises a caspase-3 recognition site, wherein said caspase-3 recognition site comprise DEVD; and
iv) an imaging agent, andb) transfecting said cells with said genetic construct;
c) implanting said cells into said mammalian subject;
d) administering said imaging agent to said mammalian subject; and
e) measuring the activity of said endogenous target caspase by detecting signal from said illumination unit.
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Abstract
The invention provides compositions and methods for non-invasive imaging of enzyme (e.g., protease) activity in cells, tissues and organs and entire bodies in vitro, in vivo and in situ. The invention provides a chimeric polypeptide having a bioluminescent or chemiluminescent polypeptide, or a heterologous kinase, and at least one silencing moiety, and a protease cleavage motif positioned between the first and second domains. The imaging can be by computer assisted tomography (CAT), magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), or bioluminescence imaging (BLI).
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24 Claims
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1. A method of imaging, comprising:
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a) providing i) cells, ii) a mammalian subject, wherein said mammalian subject has endogenous expression of a target caspase, iii) a genetic construct, wherein said genetic construct encodes a chimeric polypeptide, where said chimeric polypeptide comprises 1) an illumination domain wherein said illumination domain comprises a bioluminescence imaging unit, 2) at least two silencing domains, wherein said at least two silencing domains comprise a receptor ligand binding unit, wherein said receptor ligand binding unit is a steroid hormone receptor ligand binding unit, and 3) a target caspase recognition site, wherein said target caspase recognition site is configured to bind whith an endogenous target caspase expressed whithin said subject; wherein said target caspase recongnition site comprises a caspase-3 recognition site, wherein said caspase-3 recognition site comprise DEVD; and iv) an imaging agent, and b) transfecting said cells with said genetic construct; c) implanting said cells into said mammalian subject; d) administering said imaging agent to said mammalian subject; and e) measuring the activity of said endogenous target caspase by detecting signal from said illumination unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification