| abstract |
This invention relates to an isolated and purified serine/threonine kinase which is an integrin-linked kinase, designated 'ILK'. ILK can be used to modulate cell growth, modulate cell adhesion, modulate cell migration and modulate cell invasion. Inhibitors of ILK activity include (1) screens aimed at DNA, RNA or structural components of ILK, (2) pseudo-substrate inhibitors, such as a peptide which mimics a substrate sequence for ILK, and (3) drugs which specifically inhibit ILK activity. The diseases treated by these inhibitors include cancer, leukemia, solid tumors, chronic inflammatory disease, arthritis, osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. Diagnostics of ILK activity include DNA-based reagents derived from the nucleotide sequence of ILK and antibodies against ILK screen biopsy-derived samples of amplified ILK DNA, or increased expression of ILK mRNA or protein. Assays which screen drugs which specifically inhibit ILK activity are included within this invention. |