Nucleic acids encoding novel truncated CART proteins corresponding to truncated CART polypeptides and their use for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes

摘要

The present invention is directed to nucleic acids encoding novel truncated CART polypeptides, particularly CART proteins having 88 amino acids in length, as well as nucleic acid fragments thereof. The invention also pertains to a family of recombinant vectors containing a nucleic acid encoding such truncated CART polypeptide and to recombinant host cells containing such recombinant vectors. The invention also deals with a truncated CART protein particularly a truncated CART protein having 88 amino acids in length as well as antibodies specifically directed against this protein, these antibodies being useful as diagnostic reagents. The invention also relates to the use of CART protein particularly a truncated CART protein having 88 amino acids in length or fragments for the identification and characterisation of ligands which bind to CART protein or its receptor(s). The invention also relates to the use of the nucleic acids encoding the truncated CART proteins of the invention or the truncated CART proteins themselves for therapeutic purposes and particularly to decrease or prevent neuronal degeneration and to promote neuronal regeneration and restoration of function, to treat addiction by aiding clearance of the polypeptide or its truncated forms in vitro and in vivo and also in order to regulate food intake.