The present invention relates to novel fluorescent dyes, novel fluorogenic and fluorescent reporter molecules and new enzyme assay processes that can be used to detect the activity of caspases and other enzymes involved in apoptosis in whole cells, cell lines and tissue samples derived from any living organism or organ. The reporter molecules and assay processes can be used in drug screening procedures to identify compounds which act as inhibitors or inducers of the caspase cascade in whole cells or tissues. The reagents and assays described herein are also useful for determining the chemosensitivity of human cancer cells to treatment with chemotherapeutic drugs. The present invention also relates to novel fluorogenic and fluorescent reporter molecules and new enzyme assay processes that can be used to detect the activity of type 2 methionine aminopeptidase, dipeptidyl peptidase IV, calpain, aminopeptidase, HIV protease, adenovirus protease, HSV-1 protease, HCMV protease and HCV protease.
本发明涉及新型荧光
染料、新型荧光报告分子和新的酶测定过程,可用于检测整个细胞、
细胞系和来自任何
生物或器官的组织样品中涉及凋亡的caspases和其他酶的活性。这些报告分子和测定过程可用于药物筛选程序,以识别在整个细胞或组织中作为caspase级联的
抑制剂或诱导剂的化合物。本文所描述的试剂和测定也可用于确定人类癌细胞对化疗药物治疗的
化学敏感性。本发明还涉及新型荧光报告分子和新的酶测定过程,可用于检测第2型甲
硫氨酰肽酶、
二肽基肽酶IV、
钙蛋白酶、
氨肽酶、HIV
蛋白酶、腺病毒
蛋白酶、HSV-1
蛋白酶、HCMV
蛋白酶和HCV
蛋白酶的活性。