IDENTIFICATION AND USE OF GPR54 AND ITS LIGANDS FOR REPRODUCTIVE DISORDERS AND CONTRACEPTION

摘要

The present invention relates to the identification of compounds for diagnosing and treating a reproductive disorder or other disorders in which the suppression of gonadal steroids has therapeutic benefits. These compounds can be used to treat, for example, polycystic ovarian disease, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, and prostate cancer. Moreover, the compounds identified using the methods of the invention may be used as contraceptives or in treatments for infertility, such as in vitro fertilization. The invention also relates to mutant GPR54 nucleic acid molecules and polypeptides, as well as their use in diagnosis of reproductive disorders.