Abstract: Proteins containing one or more dtsulfide bonds or monosulfides are labeled with medically useful metal ions for use in diagnosis and treatment of a variety of pathologtc conditions. Labeling is accomplished with a variety of metals, including radiometals, by using a reducing agent to reduce the disulfide bonds to thiolate groups; excess reducing agent, reaction by-products and any impurities are removed; and, a source of Sn (II) agent is added to the thiolate-containing protein. The resulting product may be stored frozen or lyophilized, with labeling accomplished by the addition of the medically useful metal ions.

Abstract: Peptides containing a biological-function domain and a medically useful metal ion-binding domain are labeled with medically useful metal ions for use in diagnosis and treatment of a variety of pathologic conditions. The peptides have the amino acid sequence(R.sub.1)-[Y.sub.1 ].sub.n -(R.sub.2),(R.sub.1)-[Y.sub.1 -(R.sub.2)-Y.sub.1 ].sub.n -(R.sub.3)and (R.sub.1)-[Y.sub.1 -(R.sub.2)-Y.sub.2 ].sub.n -(R.sub.3)wherein the medically useful metal ion-binding domain is [Y.sub.1 ].sub.n, [Y.sub.1 -(R.sub.2)-Y.sub.1 ].sub.n or [Y.sub.1 -(R.sub.2)-Y.sub.2 ].sub.n in which n is a number between 1 and about 6 and Y.sub.1 and Y.sub.2 are amino acids with a sulfur, nitrogen or oxygen which is available for binding to metal ions, or can be made available for binding to metal ions; the biological-function domain is an amino acid sequence containing from 1 to about 20 amino acids located in any one or more of R.sub.1, R.sub.2 or R.sub.3 ; and those portions of R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.

Abstract: Antibody against stage specific embryonic antigen-1 is radiolabeled by direct means with a radionuclide for use in detection of occult abscess and inflammation. Radiolabeling is accomplished by partial reduction of the disulfide bonds of the antibody using Sn(II), or using other reducing agents followed by the addition of Sn(II), removal of excess reducing agent and reduction by-products, and addition of a specified amount of radionuclide reducing agent, such as stannous tartrate. The resulting product may be store frozen or lyophilized, with radiolabeling accomplished by the addition of the radionuclide.

Abstract: Proteins containing one or more disulfide bonds are radiolabeled with radionuclides of technetium or rhenium for use in diagnosis and treatment of a variety of pathologic conditions. Radiolabeling is accomplished by partial reduction of the disulfide bonds of the protein using Sn (II), or using other reducing agents followed by the addition of Sn (II), removal of excess reducing agent and reduction by-products, and addition of a specified amount of pertechnetate or perrhenate reducing agent, such as stannous tartrate, with the addition accomplished in such a manner that further reduction of the protein is limited. The resulting product may be stored frozen or lyophilized, with radiolabeling accomplished by the addition of pertechnetate or perrhenate solution.

Abstract: Methods and reagents for the in vivo tagging of leukocytes, and in particular lymphocytes with a leukostimulatory agent and a linked medically useful metal ion, including a radioisotope, and subsequent detection of leukocyte or lymphocyte trafficking and sites of concentrated leukocytes or lympLICENSE RIGHTSThe U.S. Government has a paid-up license in this invention and the right in limited circumstances to require the patent owner to license others on reasonable terms as provided for by the terms of Small Business Innovative Research Grant No. 1 R43 AR41124 awarded by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, Department of Health and Human Services.

Abstract: A method is provided for rapidly determining the ability of sperm to undergo the acrosome reaction, using fluorescence microscopy, light microscopy or color change on a dot blot assay to determine the relative percentage of acrosome reacted sperm. Sperm are capacitated through use of bromelain or other enzymatic substances capable of capacitating sperm, with the total incubation time required to induce capacitation as little as fifteen minutes, yielding sperm that are fully capacitated and show excellent motility, with as many as 80% of normal sperm consistently induced to acrosome react.

Abstract: Proteins containing one or more disulfide bonds are radiolabeled with radionuclides of technetium or rhenium for use in diagnosis and treatment of a variety of pathologic conditions. Radiolabeling is accomplished by partial reduction of the disulfide bonds of the protein using Sn (II), or using other reducing agents followed by the addition of Sn (II), removal of excess reducing agent and reduction by-products, and addition of a specified amount of pertechnetate or perrhenate reducing agent, such as stannous tartrate, with the addition accomplished in such manner that further reduction of the protein is limited. The resulting product may be stored frozen or lyophilized, with radiolabeling accomplished by the addition of pertechnetate or perrhenate solution.

Abstract: Proteins are radiolabeled with radionuclides of technetium or rhenium by a process in which the disulfide bonds of the protein are first partially reduced with stannous salts or other disulfide reducing agents, all substances other than the desired reduced protein removed, by size exclusion chromatography or other purification means, and a specified, smaller amount of pertechnetate or perrhenate reducing agent, such as a stannous salt, is added to the reduced protein in a manner such that further reduction of the protein is limited. Pertechnetate or perrhenate is then added to the mixture of the reduced protein and the pertechnetate or perrhenate reducing agent; the pertechnetate or perrhenate is reduced and becomes strongly bonded to the protein via the sulfhydryl groups previously exposed by reduction of disulfide groups. The reduced protein and pertechnetate or perrhenate reducing agent can be idefinitely stored frozen or lyophilized.