Abstract: A method for detecting an antigen-specific antibody detection reagent, which includes a cationized, denatured antigenic protein immobilized on a solid-phase surface of a carrier material, is provided. The cationized, denatured antigenic protein has cationized SH groups formed from reaction with a cationizing agent. The detection reagent is capable of specifically binding to an antigen-specific antibody which binds to an epitope of the antigenic protein. The method includes contacting a sample containing the antigen-specific antibody with the detection reagent to bind the antigen-specific antibody with the detection reagent. A labeled secondary antibody is then added to allow the labeled secondary antibody to bind to the antigen-specific antibody; and the detection reagent bound with the antigen-specific antibody is detected.

Abstract: Provided are a production method for cytotoxic T cells with increased recognition of cancer cells, a cancer treatment drug including said cytotoxic T cells, and a treatment method using said treatment drug.

Abstract: The present invention provides the following: a method for efficiently producing a reagent for detecting an antibody that specifically binds with an insoluble antigen protein present in a liquid sample; a reagent for antibody detection produced by the production method; and a use of the antibody. In a step for solubilizing an antigen protein, it is possible to efficiently solubilize and recover the antigen protein by using a cationizing agent; therefore, when compared to conventional methods, it is possible to efficiently produce a reagent for detecting an antibody that has bound to multiple antigen protein molecules in a carrier.

Abstract: There is provided a cell culture evaluation system, a cell culture evaluation method, and a cell culture evaluation program which are capable of estimating and evaluating the lag time or the minimum doubling time and objectively and adequately determining whether or not a cell population is stimulated for proliferation by using an average projected area of a cultured cell population or the rate of increasing the ratio of the non-single-cells as an evaluation parameter when culturing the cells. Images of the cell population to be cultured statically are acquired in a culture vessel, the average projected areas of the cells are calculated from the images for the respective culture times, and the lag times at lag phase are calculated from the calculated average projected areas of the cells.

Abstract: To avoid contamination of workspaces by splashing and the like of a waste fluid. A fluid delivery system for delivering a fluid from one container to another container includes: a delivery channel connecting between the one container to the other container; and a delivery pump which feeds the fluid into the delivery channel by compressively deforming inner diameter in the middle of the delivery channel, wherein the delivery channel is a partially elastic configuration that can be compressively deformed by the delivery pump, and also is a closed-system configuration with which the fluid flowing inside thereof is isolated from outside. As described, the delivery pump and the delivery tube or the waste-fluid container are not directly connected but are simply in contact. Therefore, it is possible to prevent splashing and the like of the waste fluid onto a work space when handling the waste fluid.

Abstract: A filtration instrument can be used to remove foreign matter in a cell suspension and include a filter container. The filter container uses a transparent or semi-transparent material and is constructed so that solids that have been captured by the filter can be removed easily. Specifically, the filter container is constructed so that solids that have been captured by the filter can be removed easily by cutting the filter container using scissors. This construction serves to prevent the admixture of foreign matter in the cell suspension and, should foreign matter become admixed, facilitates the explanation of the cause of the admixture of foreign matter by allowing for the ability to remove and to analyze the foreign matter.

Abstract: An object of the present invention to provide: a human pancreatic cancer antigen and/or a human colon cancer antigen that can be applied to the diagnosis and/or treatment of various types of cancers or tumors including pancreatic cancer and colon cancer as representative examples; a gene encoding the same; an anti-cancer vaccine using the same; or the like. The present invention provides a cancer antigen comprising a protein having the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1; a peptide comprising a portion of said protein and having immune-stimulating activity; an anti-cancer vaccine comprising said peptide; a DNA having the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 2, or its complementary sequence or a part or full length of these sequence; an anti-cancer vaccine comprising said DNA; and use thereof.

Abstract: The invention intends to provide a cell culture shaking device which is able to improve the efficiency of cell culture while preventing the cells from becoming damaged. The shaking devices used in cell culture apparatuses for culturing cells in flexible culture bags for storing culture suspension having cells inoculated therein includes: shaking mechanisms having operating panels for pressing the culture bags repeatedly, so that the culture suspension in the culture bags is stirred by being pressed by a plurality of projections projecting for the operating panels.

Abstract: Disclosed are: a method for culture of disease antigen specific CTLs and ??T cells in one culture step conveniently and efficiently; and a pharmaceutical agent and a therapeutic/prophylactic method both of which use a cell produced by the method. Blood is collected and peripheral blood mononuclear cells are separated from the blood. Aminobisphosphonate and a disease antigen are added to the peripheral blood mononuclear cells at the beginning of culture, and the cell culture is carried out for a predetermined period to proliferate/induce disease antigen specific CTLs and ??T cells simultaneously until the numbers of the cells reach values that are effective for the treatment of a disease. The CTLs and the ??T cells thus produced are used for the treatment.

Abstract: Activated antigen-presenting cells that can induce immunocytes including disease antigen-specific CD8+ CTLs and/or ?? T cells efficiently in vivo and/or in vitro, a medical composition comprising the activated antigen-presenting cells, a treatment and prevention method using the activated antigen-presenting cells, and an induction method of immunocytes including disease antigen-specific CTLs and/or ?? T cells induced using the activated antigen-presenting cell, immunocytes induced by the above-noted method, a medical composition comprising the immunocytes, and a treatment and prevention method using the immunocytes are provided. By co-pulsing antigen-presenting cells with bisphosphonate in addition to the pulse with a disease antigen, the ratio of disease antigen-specific CD8+ CTLs and/or ?? T cells and the number of the disease antigen-specific CD8+ CTLs and the ?? T cells can be increased, compared with the case where the co-pulse with bisphosphonate is not carried out.

Abstract: Activated antigen-presenting cells that can induce immunocytes including disease antigen-specific CD8+ CTLs and/or ?? T cells efficiently in vivo and/or in vitro, a medical composition comprising the activated antigen-presenting cells, a treatment and prevention method using the activated antigen-presenting cells, and an induction method of immunocytes including disease antigen-specific CTLs and/or ?? T cells induced using the activated antigen-presenting cell, immunocytes induced by the above-noted method, a medical composition comprising the immunocytes, and a treatment and prevention method using the immunocytes are provided. By co-pulsing antigen-presenting cells with bisphosphonate in addition to the pulse with a disease antigen, the ratio of disease antigen-specific CD8+ CTLs and/or ?? T cells and the number of the disease antigen-specific CD8+ CTLs and the ?? T cells can be increased, compared with the case where the co-pulse with bisphosphonate is not carried out.

Abstract: The present invention provides dendritic cells capable of efficiently activating and/or proliferating ?? T-cells in vivo and/or in vitro, pharmaceutical compositions comprising said dendritic cells, therapeutic methods and ?? T-cell culture methods utilizing said dendritic cells. By pulsing immature dendritic cells derived from peripheral blood monocytes with a bisphosphonate-based bone metabolism improving drug to enable the cells to activate ?? T-cells, and cultivating them with a cell subset containing ?? T-cells, ?? T-cells can be activated and/or proliferated. This allows for easy proliferation of ?? T-cells without burdening a patient, leading to practical applications of immune cell therapies that utilize ?? T-cells.

Abstract: The invention intends to provide a cell culture apparatus which is able to realize an adequate culture according to the culture state of cells while alleviating the labor of an operator. The cell culture apparatus includes a culture bag for causing the cells to proliferate, a cell inoculation cassette (or culture bag as an antibody stimulating and proliferation culture vessel) for stimulating the cells by an inducer for the proliferation, a culture medium cassette for storing a culture medium supplied to the culture bag and the cell inoculation cassette, a CCD camera 88 for acquiring images of the cells in the cell inoculation cassette, and an image processing computer and an operation control computer for determining the culture state (proliferation capability and proliferation ability of the cells) of the cells from the images of the cells acquired by the CCD camera, and causing a culture operation to be carried out on the basis of the determination.

Abstract: A method for treating cancer having fewer side effects than conventional therapies and capable of improving a response ratio by combining a molecular targeting agent and an immuno-cell therapy.

Abstract: A method for inducing an antigen-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) which recognizes determinants of disease-related antigens, such as from cancer or tumor cells, viral infections, intracellular bacterial infections, or parasitic infections. Lymphocytes are contacted or co-cultured with a cell line which expresses at least one major histocompatibility (MHC) class I molecules and a co-stimulatory molecule, after or while bringing the cell line into contact with a disease antigenic peptide. Alternatively, the lymphocytes may be contacted with a cell line expressing at least one MHC class I molecules and an accessory molecule and presenting an antigen. The CTLs induced by these methods may be used to treat cancer or infectious diseases. Methods for testing the proliferation potential of a lymphocyte sample using cell lines expressing MHC class I molecules and accessory molecules are also disclosed.