Methods of differentiating and protecting cells by modulating the p38/MEF2 pathway
First Claim
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1. A method of transplantation, comprising the steps of:
- (a) contacting in vitro a population of progenitor cells with a differentiating agent;
(b) introducing in vitro into said progenitor cells a nucleic acid molecule encoding a constitutively active MEF2 polypeptide or an active fragment thereof, wherein said constitutively active MEF2 polypeptide or active fragment thereof has transactivation activity that is independent of phosphorylation; and
(c) transplanting said progenitor cells comprising said nucleic acid molecule into a patient to produce a cell population containing protected neuronal cells in said patient.
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Abstract
The present invention provides a method of differentiating progenitor cells to produce a population containing protected neuronal cells. A method of the invention includes the steps of contacting the progenitor cells with a differentiating agent; and introducing into the progenitor cells a nucleic acid molecule encoding a MEF2 polypeptide or an active fragment thereof, thereby differentiating the progenitor cells to produce a population containing protected neuronal cells. In one embodiment, the MEF2 polypeptide is human MEF2C or an active fragment thereof.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of transplantation, comprising the steps of:
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(a) contacting in vitro a population of progenitor cells with a differentiating agent; (b) introducing in vitro into said progenitor cells a nucleic acid molecule encoding a constitutively active MEF2 polypeptide or an active fragment thereof, wherein said constitutively active MEF2 polypeptide or active fragment thereof has transactivation activity that is independent of phosphorylation; and (c) transplanting said progenitor cells comprising said nucleic acid molecule into a patient to produce a cell population containing protected neuronal cells in said patient. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification