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:
Apr. 02, 2002
Filed:
Aug. 26, 1994
Rudolph E. Tanzi, Canton, MA (US);
Ashley I. Bush, Boston, MA (US);
The General Hospital Corporation, Boston, MA (US);
Abstract
The invention relates to rapid methods for determining formation of A&bgr; amyloid and screening compounds which inhibit formation of A&bgr; amyloid in vitro, as well as kits for carrying out the present methods. Such an agent used in vivo may prevent, ameliorate or reverse the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease and A&bgr; amyloidotic disorders related to Alzheimer's disease, Down's syndrome, and Guamanian amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/Parkinson's dementia complex. The process described in this invention involves the rapid induction of A&bgr; amyloid by a heavy metal cation capable of binding to a polypeptide comprising at least amino acids 6 to 28 of A&bgr;, such as zinc to form amyloid and determination of formation of tinctorial A&bgr; amyloid. Moreover, a method of determining effectiveness of a candidate anti-amyloidotic agent for prevention or treatment of A&bgr; amyloidosis is described which uses cell cultures which express at least a human A&bgr; peptide.