Patents by Inventor Leonard Guarente

Leonard Guarente has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8652797
    Abstract: Methods of NAD-dependent of at least one lysine residue in an acetylated protein are disclosed. The methods include combining the acetylated protein with an isolated Sir2 protein or fragment that includes a core domain of the Sir2 protein. The Sir2 protein or fragment of the Sir2 protein can include a human Sir2 protein or a fragment of a human Sir2 protein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Leonard Guarente, Shin-ichiro Imai, Christopher Armstrong
  • Patent number: 8642284
    Abstract: Methods of identifying agents which alter the NAD-dependent deacetylation activity of a Sir2 protein or a fragment of a Sir2 protein are disclosed. The acetylated protein can be a nuclear protein, such as a histone protein, or a cytoplasmic protein. The Sir2 protein employed in the methods can include at least a core domain of a Sir2 protein, such as a human Sir2 protein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Leonard Guarente, Shin-Ichiro Imai, Christopher Armstrong
  • Publication number: 20130071378
    Abstract: Methods for screening a compound, by providing a test mixture comprising a transcription factor, Sir2, and a Sir2 cofactor with the compound, and evaluating an activity of a component of the test mixture in the presence of the compound are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2012
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Inventors: Leonard Guarente, Homayoun Vaziri, Shin-Ichiro Imai
  • Publication number: 20110009474
    Abstract: Provided herein are methods and compositions relating to sirtuin modulation of Wnt pathway signaling, including the use of sirtuin and sirtuin-modulating agents in the prevention and treatment of cancer and other diseases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2008
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicants: President and Fellows of Harvard College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: David A. Sinclair, Ron Firestein, Leonard Guarente, Gil Blander
  • Publication number: 20100240029
    Abstract: A cholesterol-regulating complex of SIRT1 and LXR and methods of use are disclosed. SIRT1 forms a complex with LXR bound to an LXR element. Methods of forming the complex, identifying an agent that modulates formation of the complex, increasing the ratio of cholesterol bound to high density lipoprotein (HDL) to total cholesterol in the plasma of a mammal, promoting ABCA1-mediated cholesterol efflux from a mammalian cell, treating a subject deemed to have a level of SIRT1 activity that is below normal, assessing whether a candidate substance modulates an LXR-dependent process, and assessing whether a candidate substance modulates an SIRT1-dependent effect of an LXR are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2007
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Leonard Guarente, Monty Krieger, Xiaoling Li
  • Publication number: 20100105036
    Abstract: This invention relates to methods of screening compounds that modulate cellular and organismal processes by modification of the activity of SIR2 and/or transcription factors, e.g., p53, particularly methods of screening for compounds that modify lifespan and/or metabolism of a cell or an organism by modulation of the activity of SIR2 and/or transcription factors, e.g., p53, and more particularly to methods of screening for compounds that modulate the activity of Sir2 and/or transcription factors, e.g., p53. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for screening a compound, by providing a test mixture comprising a transcription factor, Sir2, and a Sir2 cofactor with the compound, and evaluating an activity of a component of the test mixture in the presence of the compound. The invention further relates to therapeutic uses of said compounds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2009
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Applicants: MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, WHITEHEAD INSTITUTE FOR BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH
    Inventors: Leonard Guarente, Homayoun Vaziri, Shin-Ichiro Imai
  • Patent number: 7572575
    Abstract: This invention relates to methods of screening compounds that modulate cellular and organismal processes by modification of the activity of SIR2 and/or transcription factors, e.g., p53, particularly methods of screening for compounds that modify lifespan and/or metabolism of a cell or an organism by modulation of the activity of SIR2 and/or transcription factors, e.g., p53, and more particularly to methods of screening for compounds that modulate the activity of Sir2 and/or transcription factors, e.g., p53. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for screening a compound, by providing a test mixture comprising a transcription factor, Sir2, and a Sir2 cofactor with the compound, and evaluating an activity of a component of the test mixture in the presence of the compound. The invention further relates to therapeutic uses of said compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignees: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research
    Inventors: Leonard Guarente, Homayoun Vaziri, Shin-Ichiro Imai
  • Publication number: 20090155834
    Abstract: Methods of identifying agents which alter the NAD-dependent acetylation status and mono-ADP-ribosylation of nuclear proteins are disclosed. The methods further include identifying agents which alter the life span or aging of a cell or an organism by determining the level of NAD-dependent acetylation and/or ADP ribosylation of a nuclear protein. The invention also relates to a mammalian Sir2 protein which acetylates or deacetylates nuclear proteins in a NAD-dependent manner and has mono-ADP-ribosyltransferase activity. Host cells producing the Sir2 protein and antibodies to the Sir2 protein are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Applicant: MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: LEONARD GUARENTE, SHIN-ICHIRO IMAI, CHRISTOPHER ARMSTRONG
  • Patent number: 7452664
    Abstract: Methods of identifying agents which alter the NAD-dependent acetylation status and mono-ADP-ribosylation of nuclear proteins are disclosed. The methods further include identifying agents which alter the life span or aging of a cell or an organism by determining the level of NAD-dependent acetylation and/or ADP ribosylation of a nuclear protein. The invention also relates to a mammalian Sir2 protein which acetylates or deacetylates nuclear proteins in a NAD-dependent manner and has mono-ADP-ribosyltransferase activity. Host cells producing the Sir2 protein and antibodies to the Sir2 protein are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Leonard Guarente, Shin-ichiro Imai, Christopher Armstrong
  • Publication number: 20070099830
    Abstract: It has been discovered that Sirt4 possesses an ADP-ribosyltransferase activity. Sirt4 is localized to mitochondria, where it binds to and regulates the activity of proteins such as glutamate dehydrogenase. The ADP-ribosyltransferase activity of Sirt4 is important for the regulation of biological functions such as insulin secretion. Methods of screening for compounds that modulate the expression or activity of Sirt4 are provided. Also provided are methods of modulating insulin secretion, treating metabolic disorders, and treating neurodegenerative disorders by modulating the expression or activity of Sirt4.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2006
    Publication date: May 3, 2007
    Inventors: Leonard Guarente, Marcia Haigis
  • Publication number: 20060252076
    Abstract: This invention relates to methods of screening compounds that modulate cellular and organismal processes by modification of the activity of SIR2 and/or transcription factors, e.g., p53, particularly methods of screening for compounds that modify lifespan and/or metabolism of a cell or an organism by modulation of the activity of SIR2 and/or transcription factors, e.g., p53, and more particularly to methods of screening for compounds that modulate the activity of Sir2 and/or transcription factors, e.g., p53. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for screening a compound, by providing a test mixture comprising a transcription factor, Sir2, and a Sir2 cofactor with the compound, and evaluating an activity of a component of the test mixture in the presence of the compound. The invention further relates to therapeutic uses of said compounds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2006
    Publication date: November 9, 2006
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Leonard Guarente, Homayoun Vaziri, Shin-Ichiro Imai
  • Publication number: 20050164969
    Abstract: The present invention provides new and advantageous methods, compositions, cell constructs and animal models related to inhibiting the senescence of vertebrate cells and vertebrate organisms based on the use of SIRT1 polynucleotides and polypeptides, as well as mutant SIRT1 polynucleotides and polypeptides. The invention provides polynucleotides that encode variants and fragments of SIRT1 polypeptides, and also provides variant SIRT1 polypeptides and fragments thereof. Additionally the invention provides a method of inhibiting or delaying the expression in a vertebrate cell of a protein having biological activity associated with loss of population doubling in the cell. The invention further provides a method of treating a pathology, a disease or a medical condition in a subject, wherein the pathology responds to an SIRT1 polypeptide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2004
    Publication date: July 28, 2005
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Gil Blander, Leonard Guarente
  • Publication number: 20050136429
    Abstract: SIRT1 regulates the physiology of cells of the adipocyte lineage. Modulators of SIRT1 activity can be used to ameliorate, treat, or prevent diseases and disorders associated with adipose physiology, e.g., obesity, an obesity-related disease, or a fat-related metabolic disorder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2004
    Publication date: June 23, 2005
    Inventors: Leonard Guarente, Frederic Picard
  • Publication number: 20050009169
    Abstract: Methods of isolating mutant yeast cells with increased life span, as well as mutant yeast cells isolated by the methods, are disclosed. Also described are methods of identifying agents which increase life span of yeast cells, and methods of isolating genes which affect senescence in organisms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2004
    Publication date: January 13, 2005
    Inventors: Leonard Guarente, Nicanor Austriaco, James Claus, Francesca Cole, Brian Kennedy
  • Publication number: 20040005574
    Abstract: This invention relates to methods of screening compounds that modulate cellular and organismal processes by modification of the activity of SIR2 and/or transcription factors, e.g., p53, particularly methods of screening for compounds that modify lifespan and/or metabolism of a cell or an organism by modulation of the activity of SIR2 and/or transcription factors, e.g., p53, and more particularly to methods of screening for compounds that modulate the activity of Sir2 and/or transcription factors, e.g., p53. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for screening a compound, by providing a test mixture comprising a transcription factor, Sir2, and a Sir2 cofactor with the compound, and evaluating an activity of a component of the test mixture in the presence of the compound. The invention further relates to therapeutic uses of said compounds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2002
    Publication date: January 8, 2004
    Inventors: Leonard Guarente, Homayoun Vaziri, Shin-Ichiro Imai