Methods and Compositions for Correlating CCR5 Expression with Essential Hypertension
Description of Invention:
Hypertension is a disease which afflicts as many as 1 in 5 persons in the United States and is the most common cause of visits to physicians. Once diagnosed with hypertension, treatment of the disease is lifelong. There is mounting evidence that lifestyle changes can prevent the usual rise in blood pressure with age, but for patients whose hypertension cannot be adequately treated by lifestyle changes, drug therapy must be instigated which can be difficult to control and have adverse side affects.
The present invention demonstrates that there is a link between a naturally occurring mutation in the CC-chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) gene and an increased risk of developing hypertension. This technology will allow for the screening of individuals for the presence of the CCR5-D32/D32 genotype which correlates with an increased risk of developing hypertension and possibly prevent its occurrence through adequate antihypertensive therapy.
This technology may lead to a method of treating or preventing hypertension through the administration of: 1) an effective amount of a CCR5 expression enhancing agent; 2) CCR5 activity enhancing agent; 3) an effective amount of CCR5; or 4) an effective amount of a nucleic acid encoding CCR5. Also, this technology can be employed as a method of identifying an agent that could be used to treat or prevent hypertension through the above-identified processes.
Inventors:
Dr. Thomas O'Brien (NCI)
Patent Status:
DHHS Reference No. E-257-1999/0 --
U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/159,688 filed 14 Oct 1999
PCT Application No. PCT/US00/41051 filed 02 Oct 2000, which published as WO 01/27334 on 19 Apr 2001
U.S. Patent Application No. 10/110,519 filed 11 Apr 2002
For Additional Information Please Contact: Fatima Sayyid M.H.P.M.
NIH Office of Technology Transfer
6011 Executive Blvd, Suite 325
Rockville, MD 20852-3804
Phone: (301) 435-4521
Email: sayyidf@mail.nih.gov
Fax: (301) 402-0220
