Johns Hopkins University

Duke University

Kennedy Krieger Institute, Inc.

Doug Marchuk

Jonathan Pevsner

Anne Comi

Zhenhua Huang

In one aspect, the present invention features a method of inhibiting proliferation and/or reducing survival of a cell comprising a GNAQ polynucleotide or polypeptide having a R183Q or Q209L mutation, comprising contacting the cell with puromycin or a puromycin analog, thereby inhibiting proliferation and/or reducing survival of the cell. In another aspect, a method of treating a vascular malformation or related condition in a subject, comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of puromycin or a puromycin analog is featured. In another aspect, the present invention features a method of identifying a candidate agent that modulates a GNAQ R183Q or Q209L mutation-associated disease, comprising contacting a cell comprising a GNAQ polynucleotide or polypeptide having a R183Q or Q209L mutation with puromycin and a candidate agent and comparing viability of the contacted cell with a reference level of viability, wherein an alteration in viability indicates that the candidate agent modulates the GNAQ R183Q or Q209L mutation-associated disease.

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Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America

Doug Marchuk