The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 30, 1999
Filed:
Jan. 20, 1995
John D Mountz, Birmingham, AL (US);
Changdan Liu, Alabaster, AL (US);
Jianhua Cheng, Alabaster, AL (US);
William J Koopman, Indian Springs, AL (US);
Tong Zhou, W. Stonebrook Pl., AL (US);
UAB Research Foundation, Birmingham, AL (US);
Abstract
Disclosed is a 5' flanking sequence of the human fas gene containing a promoter region. This sequence also contains at least three transcription initiation sites, as well as consensus sequences for AP-1, GF-1, NY-Y, CP-2, EB20, and c-myb. Also disclosed are methods of altering senescence of the immune system by modifying Fas activity in cells to increase or decrease apoptosis. Fas expression and function on T cells from old (22-26-month-old) mice is also compared to young (2-month-old) mice and old CD2-fas transgenic mice. Fas expression and ligand-induced apoptosis was decreased on T cells from old mice compared to young mice. In 26-month-old CD2-fas transgenic mice, Fas and CD44 expression, Fas-induced apoptosis, T cell proliferation and cytokine production were comparable to that of the young mice. These results suggest that T cell senescence with age is associated with defective apoptosis and that the CD2-fas transgene allows the maintenance of Fas apoptosis function and T cell function in aged mice comparable to that of young mice.