Abstract: The invention features methods and compositions for diagnosis and treatment of conditions associated with decreased nitric oxide bioavailability, such as a condition associated with elevated arginase activity, using an arginine- and/or arginase-inhibitor based therapy, which therapies include administration of arginine or an arginase inhibitor, either alone or in combination. The invention also contemplates administration of magnesium with arginine, an arginase inhibitor, or with arginine-arginase inhibitor combination therapy. The invention also features methods and compositions for diagnosis, including prognosis, of conditions associated with arginase activity by assessing the ratio of arginine to ornithine in samples from a subject.

Abstract: The invention features methods and compositions for diagnosis, including prognosis, of conditions associated with decreased arginine bioavailability (which can result from dysregulated arginine metabolism, e.g., due to increased arginase activity) by assessing in a sample from a subject the ratio of arginine to one or more, usually two or more, modulators of arginine bioavailability. In one embodiment, the ratio of arginine to (ornithine+citrulline) is assessed to aid in diagnosis.

Abstract: The present invention generally provides compositions comprising a polysaccharide derivative, and methods of their preparation and use for the prevention or treatment of diseases caused by Neisseria meningitidis bacteria, particularly group B (NmB) strains, and by E. coli K1. The invention provides a de-N-acetylated PS derivative in which one or more residues of the PS has been modified by de-N-acetylation. The invention also includes derivatives in which one or more of the N-acetyl groups of PS containing de-N-acetylated PS are replaced with other N-acyl groups, usually a lower acyl group of C2-C3. Further, the invention includes de-N-acetylated PS derivatives containing long chain hydrocarbons, as well as conjugates in which the de-N-acetylated PS derivative is linked to a carrier, e.g., a carrier protein.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of enhancing the rate of iron release from ferritin. By increasing the amount of iron available for chelation, the invention also provides methods of treating conditions associated with iron overload. The invention also provides in one embodiment agents which are useful for treating iron overload.

Abstract: The present invention relates, in part, to methods and compositions for immunizing against infection by Chlamydia trachomatis. The methods and compositions rely, in part, on administering an immunogenic composition comprising one or more peptides derived from C. trachomatis major outer membrane protein (MOMP) to a subject to be immunized. In some embodiments, the compositions comprise a chimeric immunogen comprising a receptor binding domain, a translocation domain, and a Chlamydia trachomatis antigen. Polynucleotides encoding the chimeric immunogens, expression vectors comprising the polynucleotides, and kits comprising the compositions are also provided.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for modulating immune function are provided based on the unexpected discovery that inhibition of sphingosine-1-phosphate lyase (SPL) activity confers useful immunosuppressive effects, for example to modulate immune function in treatment or prevention of inflammation, transplant graft rejection, autoimmune disease, allergy, or other conditions, including therapeutic alteration of immune system cell survival and/or proliferation. Altering SPL activity by direct or indirect pharmacological intervention, or alternatively by molecular genetic methods to alter SPL expression levels, are also contemplated.

Abstract: Compositions, methods and kits for diagnosing and treating cancer are provided. Therapeutic compositions may comprise agents that modulate the expression or activity of a sphingosine-1-phosphate lyase (SPL). Such compositions may be administered to a mammal afflicted with cancer. Diagnostic methods and kits may employ an agent suitable for detecting alterations in endogenous SPL. Such methods and kits may be used to detect the presence of a cancer or to evaluate the prognosis of a known disease. SPL polypeptides, polynucleotides and antibodies are also provided.

Abstract: The invention is a method for analyzing immature reticulocytes for the presence of micronuclei. The method includes reticulocyte enrichment, fluorescent labeling, micronuclei staining, and analysis using single-laser flow cytometry. The invention also includes kits containing reagents to use in the method.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and compositions for rapid, sensitive, and highly specific nucleic acid-based detection of B. anthracis in a sample. In general, the methods involve detecting within the sspE gene of B. anthracis the presence of a fragment of six unique contiguous nucleotides that is not present in the sspE genes of other Bacillus bacteria or other non-Bacillus bacteria. In many embodiments, the methods involve amplifying a nucleic acid comprising at least a fragment of an sspE gene from a sample, and detecting the presence of the six unique contiguous nucleotide fragments in the nucleic acid. The invention also provides primers and kits for detection of B. anthracis in a sample. The subject invention finds use in a variety of different applications, including research, medical, diagnostic and military applications.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the prevention and/or treatment of cardiac and stroke injury. In particular, the present invention provides compositions and methods for preventing and treating tissue injury in cardiac and stroke settings and injury due to ischemia/reperfusion, hypoxia, cardiotoxicity of certain therapeutic regimens, and other causes, by administering an agent that inhibits sphingosine-1-phosphate lyase (SPL) activity.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present invention provides isolated oxidation resistant mutant apoA-I polypeptides comprising an amino acid sequence substantially homologous to SEQ ID NO:4, the mutant apoA-I polypeptide comprising a combination of: (1) a conservative amino acid substitution at residue Tyr192; and (2) at least one conservative amino acid substitution at residue Met86, Met112, or Met148, wherein the mutant apoA-I polypeptide is resistant to modification by an oxidizing agent. In another aspect, the invention provides a method of promoting cholesterol efflux activity in a mammalian subject in need thereof, the method comprising the step of administering an effective amount of an oxidation resistant apoA-I agonist to the subject to promote cholesterol efflux.

Abstract: Anti-obesity compositions include medicaments comprising predetermined amounts of a phytyl substituted chromanol and an obesity-promoting drug, wherein: said medicament is in unit dosage form suitable for pharmaceutical administration; said phytyl substituted chromanol is a gamma-tocopherol, delta-tocopherol, alpha-tocotrienol, gamma-tocotrienol or delta-tocotrienol; said obesity-promoting drug is a corticosteroid or an anti-diabetes drug such as a hypoglycemic drug, starch blocker, glucose production blocker or insulin sensitizer.

Abstract: Compositions, methods and kits for diagnosing and treating cancer are provided. Therapeutic compositions may comprise agents that modulate the expression or activity of a sphingosine-1-phosphate lyase (SPL). Such compositions may be administered to a mammal afflicted with cancer. Diagnostic methods and kits may employ an agent suitable for detecting alterations in endogenous SPL. Such methods and kits may be used to detect the presence of a cancer or to evaluate the prognosis of a known disease. SPL polypeptides, polynucleotides and antibodies are also provided.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for therapy of cystic fibrosis and other conditions are provided. The compositions comprise one or more compounds such as flavones and/or isoflavones capable of stimulating chloride transport in epithelial tissues. Therapeutic methods involve the administration (e.g., orally or via inhalation) of such compositions to a patient afflicted with cystic fibrosis and/or another condition responsive to stimulation of chloride transport.

Abstract: A?-heme peroxidase activity is selectively measured and inhibited, packaged as a pharmaceutical composition with heme biosynthetic cofactors or as an industrial enzyme, and used to oxidize target substrates.

Abstract: Compositions, methods and kits for diagnosing and treating cancer are provided. Therapeutic compositions may comprise agents that modulate the expression or activity of a sphingosine-1-phosphate lyase (SPL). Such compositions may be administered to a mammal afflicted with cancer. Diagnostic methods and kits may employ an agent suitable for detecting alterations in endogenous SPL. Such methods and kits may be used to detect the presence of a cancer or to evaluate the prognosis of a known disease. SPL polypeptides, polynucleotides and antibodies are also provided.

Abstract: The invention provides a non-invasive assay for the detection of a SLOS affected individual by determining the ratio of at least one of the specific SLOS steroid analytes, dehydro-estriol (8-DHE3) and a dehydro-pregnanetriol (7-DHPT) to their normal steroid counterparts estriol (E3) and pregnanetriol (PT), respectively. 8-DHE3 and 7-DHPT represent metabolites which accumulate in the blood and urine of an individual with SLOS or an individual carrying a SLOS affected fetus. The invention provides for a reliable and reproducible method of screening women for SLOS affected fetuses early on in pregnancy.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of enhancing the rate of iron release from ferritin. By increasing the amount of iron available for chelation, the invention also provides methods of treating conditions associated with iron overload. The invention also provides in one embodiment agents which are useful for treating iron overload.

Abstract: The invention provides isolated dehydro-estriol (8-DHE3) and dehydro-pregnanetriol (7-DHPT), and methods of their synthesis. These compounds are useful in diagnosis of Smith-Lemli-Optiz syndrome (SLOS).

Abstract: AAV expression vectors and recombinant virions produced using these vectors, which include genes coding for enzymes defective or missing in lysosomal storage disorders, are described. These recombinant AAV virions are useful in the treatment of a variety of lysosomal storage disorders and the methods described herein provide for long-term, sustained expression of the defective or missing enzyme.