Office of Technology Development

Nucleotides Encoding the Opioid Receptor Like-1 (ORL-1) Receptor

SK 605

Summary of Invention

Opioid receptors, G-protein coupled receptors, mediate analgesic functions, immune functions, respiratory depression, constipation, nausea, sedation, and addiction. Specifically, the ORL-1 receptor has been linked to a variety of functions, including both hyperalgesia and analgesia. This invention centers around the ORL-1 receptor (known also as the Nociceptin receptor/ earlier identified as KOR-3) and provides for research stable HEK and CHO cell lines expressing both mouse and human ORL-1. These cell lines could be used for research and/or discovery of novel therapeutic compounds. Further, these may be useful for sale and distribution to researchers interested in characterization of the ORL-1 receptor.

Advantages

May be utilized as a research tool:

For high-throughput drug screening to identify novel agonists and antagonists
For binding experiments or generation and confirmation of antibodies against this receptor

Areas of Application

Available for licensing as a research tool.

Stage of Development

Ready for licensing. Additional stable cell lines expressing ORL-1 splice variants, as well as other opioid receptor family members with discreet binding profiles have been generated and characterized. Additional information is available upon request.

Lead Inventor

Gavril Pasternak, MD, PhD

Patent Information:

U.S. patent issued: 6,660,496. Claims of the patent include the mouse ORL-1 coding sequence and corresponding amino acids as well as other nucleotides and amino acids with at least 95 percent homology to the mouse sequence, which includes the human ORL-1 receptor.

References

Pan YX, et al. (1996) Biochem. J. 315:11-3
Pan YX, et al. (1995) Mol. Pharmacol. 47:1180-8

Contact Information

Jeanne Farrell, PhD
Tel: 212-639-6181
E-mail: farrelj1@mskcc.org

Technology Types

Research Tools

addiction (uh-DIK-shun)

Uncontrollable craving, seeking, and use of a substance such as a drug or alcohol.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms
(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

analgesia (A-nul-JEE-zhee-uh)

Pain relief.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms
(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

analgesic (A-nul-JEE-zik)

A drug that reduces pain. Analgesics include aspirin, acetaminophen, and ibuprofen.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms
(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

cell (sel)

The individual unit that makes up the tissues of the body. All living things are made up of one or more cells.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms
(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

constipation (KON-stih-PAY-shun)

A condition in which stool becomes hard, dry, and difficult to pass, and bowel movements don’t happen very often. Other symptoms may include painful bowel movements, and feeling bloated, uncomfortable, and sluggish.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms
(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

depression (dee-PREH-shun)

A mental condition marked by ongoing feelings of sadness, despair, loss of energy, and difficulty dealing with normal daily life. Other symptoms of depression include feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness, loss of pleasure in activities, changes in eating or sleeping habits, and thoughts of death or suicide. Depression can affect anyone, and can be successfully treated. Depression affects 15-25% of cancer patients.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms
(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

drug (drug)

Any substance, other than food, that is used to prevent, diagnose, treat or relieve symptoms of a disease or abnormal condition. Also refers to a substance that alters mood or body function, or that can be habit-forming or addictive, especially a narcotic.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms
(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

nausea (NAW-zee-uh)

A feeling of sickness or discomfort in the stomach that may come with an urge to vomit. Nausea is a side effect of some types of cancer therapy.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms
(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

opioid (OH-pee-OYD)

A substance used to treat moderate to severe pain. Opioids are like opiates, such as morphine and codeine, but are not made from opium. Opioids bind to opioid receptors in the central nervous system. Opioids used to be called narcotics. An opioid is a type of alkaloid.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms
(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

receptor (reh-SEP-ter)

A molecule inside or on the surface of a cell that binds to a specific substance and causes a specific physiologic effect in the cell.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms
(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

screening (SKREE-ning)

Checking for disease when there are no symptoms. Since screening may find diseases at an early stage, there may be a better chance of curing the disease. Examples of cancer screening tests are the mammogram (breast), colonoscopy (colon), and the Pap test and HPV test (cervix). Screening can also include checking for a person’s risk of developing an inherited disease by doing a genetic test.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms
(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

therapeutic (THAYR-uh-PYOO-tik)

Having to do with treating disease and helping healing take place.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms
(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)