Technology ID #: 05KUMC009
Description: The anti-apoptotic Akt kinase is commonly activated by survival factors following plasma membrane relocalization. Once activated, Akt appears to prevent or delay apoptosis by phosphorylation-dependent inhibition or activation of multiple signaling molecules involved in apoptosis. With this in mind, a KUMC scientist has developed a conditional allele of Akt, called iAkt, which can be activated following administration of a specific ligand. Furthermore, the inventor created a transgenic mouse model to selectively express the iAkt system in specific tissues. The inactive form of Akt in the mouse model can be activated or inactivated in order to study its function virtually in any tissue or organ depending on the specificity of Cre expression.
Patent: N/A
Specific Market: This mouse model enables a study of the AKT kinase action in virtually all tissues or organs, and has wide application in cancer research.
Market Size: Unknown
State of the Art: N/A
Benefits: Advantages include:
- Unique animal model for studying Akt function in cell-specific manner
- Permits tissue-specific expression and temporally controlled activation of the transgenic Akt
- Useful for all studies of Akt kinase activities in virtually all types of tissues or organs
- Green fluorescent protein is integrated as a tissue-specific knockout marker
Technical Obstacles: None
Publications: Li B, Sun A, Youn H, Hong Y, Terranova PF, Thrasher JB, Xu P. Conditional Akt activation promotes androgen-independent progression of prostate cancer. Carcinogenesis. 2006 Oct 10. Available at
http://carcin.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/bgl193?ijkey=3IzWeAtni6b2HNH&keytype=ref
Confidential Disclosure Agreement: KUMC is willing to enter into a CDA for the purpose of negotiating a License Agreement. If you are interested in learning details of this invention, please contact the Technology Transfer Office at 913-588-5721.
This page last updated: July, 06, 2008
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