US Patent:
20090263406, Oct 22, 2009
Inventors:
Jianbo Yao - Morgantown WV, US
George W. Smith - Onondaga MI, US
Anilkumar Bettegowda - Houston TX, US
Paul M. Coussens - Floshing MI, US
James J. Ireland - East Lansing MI, US
International Classification:
A61K 39/00
C07K 14/00
C07K 16/00
C07H 21/02
A61K 31/7088
A61K 38/16
A61P 15/00
US Classification:
4241841, 530350, 5303879, 536 231, 514 44 A, 514 12
Abstract:
The present invention provides compositions and methods for regulating fertility in mammals. In general, the invention relates to a novel protein produced by oocytes named JY-1, and nucleic acids encoding the JY-1 protein, for controlling folliculogenesis and early embryonic development, particularly in monoovulatory species. In particular, the present invention provides nucleic acid and amino acid sequences encoding JY-1, vectors for the expression of JY-1, host cells expressing JY-1, RNAi probes for reducing levels of JY-1 message, and antibodies to JY-1. Specifically, developing and mature oocytes express JY-1 in vivo, while granulosa cells treated in vitro with recombinant JY-1 (rJY-1) protein reduced cell proliferation while increasing progesterone synthesis and estradiol production. Further, reducing JY-1 protein in developing embryos in vitro using inhibitory siRNA constructs corresponded with arrested blastocyte maturation.
