Abstract: The present invention concerns a delivery system administered to the lung preferably by inhalation comprising a polymer-based nanoparticle; and a linker comprising a first portion non-covalently anchored to said nanoparticle, wherein at least part of said first portion comprises a hydrophobic/lipophilic segment embedded in said nanoparticle; and a second portion comprising a coupling group, preferably a maleimide compound, exposed at the outer surface of said nanoparticle. In accordance with one embodiment, the delivery system comprises one or more targeting agents, each covalently bound to said coupling group, preferably maleimide compound, and is administered as an aerosol in the therapy or diagnosis of lung cancer or bronchial dysplasia. In accordance with yet another embodiment, the delivery system comprises a drug and/or a radiopharmaceutical and/or a contrasting agent. A specific example for a linker in accordance with the invention is octadecyl-4-(maleimideomethyl)cyclohexane-carboxylic amide (OMCCA).

Abstract: The application is based on the surprising finding that proteins regulated by increased c-myc activity in the liver can be used as sis and/or treatment monitoring of cancer and dysplasia, in particular of liver cell dysplasia and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and wherein the proteins are selected from a first group consisting of Polymeric immunoglobulin receptor, Phosphatidylinositol—glycan—specific phospholipase D, Alpha—fetoprotein, Antithrombin 3, Apolipoprotein E, Apolipoprotein M, Fibrinogen beta-chain, Haptoglobin, Paraoxonase 1, Retinol binding protein, Serum amyloid P- component, Transthyretin, or from a second group consisting of Afamin, Glutathione peroxidase 3, Hemopexin, Major urinary protein, Serine protease inhibitor A3K. Consequently, medical uses of said proteins, of corresponding compositions, of corresponding antibodies, of corresponding siRNA and of corresponding nucleotide sequences are claimed. Also claimed are corresponding kits and corresponding methods and procedures.

Abstract: We provide for the diagnosis, prognosis and/or treatment monitoring of lung cancer or bronchial dysplasia, and the use thereof for predicting and monitoring therapeutic intervention in dysplasia or cancer patients. According to the invention at least one biomarker selected from the group consisting of APOE, APOC3, A1AT6, A2MG, PROP, TTHY, A1AG8, APOA1, APOH, GPX3, MUP8, RETBP, SAMP, VTDB, S6A11, EGFR, ApoA4, ApoM, a-raf, fetuin B, GSN, PLG, VPS28, and particular peptide sequences derived thereof, is used in the diagnosis, prognosis and/or treatment monitoring of cancer or dysplasia, in particular of lung cancer or the level of at least one of said biomarkers is measured in a body fluid sample, in particular in a blood serum sample, of a patient suffering from or being susceptible to cancer or dysplasia.

Abstract: The invention is based on the finding that in mammalian lungs c-myc acts as a molecular switch, specifically inducing an expression pattern in vivo, which results in prototypical mammalian adenocarcinoma of the lung and liver metastasis. A set of factors essential for the processes of tumorigenesis and tumor progression, i.e. cell cycle and apoptosis, cell growth, extracellular signaling, angiogenesis and invasion, is identified, whose expression is significantly changed. In particular, the expression pattern found uncovers the network of molecules leading to mammalian papillary adenocarcinomas of the lung.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a delivery system administered to the lung preferably by inhalation comprising a polymer-based nanoparticle; and a linker comprising a first portion non-covalently anchored to said nanoparticle, wherein at least part of said first portion comprises a hydrophobic/lipophilic segment embedded in said nanoparticle; and a second portion comprising a coupling group, preferably a maleimide compound, exposed at the outer surface of said nanoparticle. In accordance with one embodiment, the delivery system comprises one or more targeting agents, each covalently bound to said coupling group, preferably maleimide compound, and is administered as an aerosol in the therapy or diagnosis of lung cancer or bronchial dysplasia. In accordance with yet another embodiment, the delivery system comprises a drug and/or a radiopharmaceutical and/or a contrasting agent. A specific example for a linker in accordance with the invention is octadecyl-4-(maleimideomethyl)cyclohexane-carboxylic amide (OMCCA).

Abstract: In comparison with primary tumors, where the organ by itself is the starting point of the malignant degeneration, metastases inherit a different emergence. The molecular causes leading to secondary liver malignancies are unknown so far. The aim of the present invention is therefore to make available an easy and efficient method for identifying therapeutical targets in secondary tumors, the use of novel therapeutical targets identified by the method for screening and determining beneficial means and/or drugs, and means and drugs for identifying, labeling and treating secondary metastases in the liver made up of or derived from tumor cells of the colon. In principle, expression of transcription factors is studied in the primary tumor, the secondary tumor and in the healthy organ, wherein the secondary tumor is formed, according to the invention, in particular of transcription factors being enriched in the healthy tissue of the organ, wherein the secondary tumor is formed, e.g.

Abstract: The bronchial carcinoma is the most common tumour found in humans world-wide and is in most cases beyond remedy. The invention relates to a method for identifying, marking and treating epithelial lung tumour cells, specifically of an adenocarcinoma, with the aid of novel treatment targets, and to means for carrying out said method. At the basis of the invention is the discovery that the expression of genes that code for CAM and ECM molecules is modified in c-raf and/or c-myc induced adenocarcinomas of the lung. Cell-adhesion proteins and extra-cellular matrix proteins constitute the treatment targets.

Abstract: Dysfunction of HNF4? may lead to disease and an identification of genes targeted by this factor provides insights into mechanisms of disease. In accordance with the invention thirteen new HNF4? target genes were found (C20orf13, KIAA0774, EPS15R, PLCB1, UGTREL1, RSK4, PAK5, FMR2, NEB, NFYC, KCNQ4, PRPF3, TRPC1). These genes were identified by means of molecular biological and molecular genetic methods. The genes code for various biological functions (metabolism, regulation of cell cycle and signal transduction, differentiation, ion channels, mRNA processing, see table A) and are thus important for the therapy of metabolic disorders, diabetic diseases and tumor growth. In the present invention, additionally eleven new HNF4? target genes are described. It was shown that HNF4? and TPRC1 are regulated in animal models of diabetes. Thus, TPRC1 is a candidate gene for the treatment of diabetic nephropathy.

Abstract: An increase in the selectivity, sensitivity and the suppression of primer dimer formations, fluorescence-based gene expression analyses and gene mutation analyses is accomplished by adding bovine serum albumin to the conventional PCR reaction components. Magnesium chloride concentration is adjusted accurately depending on the Taq polymerase used.