Cornell Research Foundation Inc.

Ramee Lee

Barbara L Hempstead

Kenneth K Teng

Pouneh Kermani

The present invention provides an isolated protein comprising a pro-domain of a proneurotrophin, methods for producing the protein, and pharmaceutical compositions containing the isolated protein. The invention also provides a nucleic acid molecule which encodes the protein and a vector containing the nucleic acid molecule. The present invention further provides a method for cleaving a proneurotrophin protein to a mature neurotrophin. In addition, the invention relates to methods for inducing apoptosis in a cell of a mammal expressing p75 surface receptors or p75 and trk receptors. The methods include causing the p75 receptor to bind a pharmaceutical composition containing a pro-domain of a proneurotrophin or administering to the mammal an effective amount of a cleavage-resistant proneurotrophin and an inhibitor of trk activation. The invention also relates to a method for inhibiting apoptosis of a cell in a mammal by administering an effective amount of a molecule which inhibits binding of a proneurotrophin to a p75 receptor. Also provided, are kits and methods for screening a human for a condition associated with undesired apoptosis.

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Ramee Lee