Cornell University

Jonathan Zippin

Lonny Levin

Jochen Buck

Cynthia Magro

Brian Robinson

Lonny R Levin

The invention is directed to compositions and methods for increasing the pH of a melanosome in a melanocyte, darkening skin or hair pigmentation, or treating a disease associated with decreased melanin comprising administering a soluble adenylyl cyclase (sAC) inhibitor and/or an exchange protein activated by cyclic AMP (EPAC) inhibitor to the melanocyte. The invention also provides compositions and methods for decreasing the pH of a melanosome in a melanocyte, lightening skin or hair pigmentation, or treating a disease associated with increased melanin comprising administering a sAC activator and/or an EPAC activator to the melanocyte.

Methods of modulating melanosome pH and melanin level in cells

The invention is directed to a method of inhibiting prostate cancer cell proliferation using a substance that inhibits the activity of a soluble adenylyl cyclase (sAC) protein. The invention also is directed to methods of diagnosing and prognosticating prostate cancer in a subject by evaluating sAC gene or protein expression in the subject.

Methods for diagnosing and treating prostate cancer

Soluble adenylyl cyclase (sAC) is implicated in proliferation of keratinocytes. Inhibitors of sAC are useful for the treatment and/or prevention of psoriasis and other hyperproliferative skin disorders. Assays to identify such compounds are also described.

Method to treat psoriasis and other hyperproliferative skin disorders

The invention provides a method for diagnosing a melanocytic proliferation in a subject comprising staining a sample of lesional melanocytes with an antibody against soluble adenylyl cyclase (sAC) and interpreting the sAC staining pattern, which is associated with a diagnosis of a melanocytic proliferation. The sAC staining pattern, which is complex, is discriminatory and distinctive according to the nature of the melanocytic proliferation. The sAC staining pattern comprises one or more of dot-like Golgi staining, broad granular Golgi staining, diffuse cytoplasmic staining, nucleolar staining, incomplete granular nuclear staining, and pan-nuclear staining. The method of the invention is particularly useful in confirming or disaffirming a diagnosis reached through conventional histologic examination of a sample. Additionally, the invention provides a kit for use in interpreting melanocytic proliferations.

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New York, NY, United States of America

Jonathan Zippin