Abstract: Compounds and methods for treating prostate cancer are provided. The inventive compounds include polypeptides containing at least a portion of a prostate tumor protein. Vaccines and pharmaceutical compositions for immunotherapy of prostate cancer comprising such polypeptides, or DNA molecules encoding such polypeptides, are also provided, together with DNA molecules for preparing the inventive polypeptides.

Abstract: Compounds and methods for treating prostate cancer are provided. The inventive compounds include polypeptides containing at least a portion of a prostate tumor protein. Vaccines and pharmaceutical compositions for immunotherapy of prostate cancer comprising such polypeptides, or DNA molecules encoding such polypeptides, are also provided, together with DNA molecules for preparing the inventive polypeptides.

Abstract: Compounds and methods for the diagnosis and treatment of Ehrlichia infection, in particular human granulocytic ehrlichiosis, are disclosed. The compounds provided include polypeptides that contain at least one antigenic portion of an Ehrlichia antigen and DNA sequences encoding such polypeptides. Pharmaceutical compositions and vaccines comprising such polypeptides or DNA sequences are also provided. Diagnostic kits containing such polypeptides or DNA sequences and a suitable detection reagent may be used for the detection of Ehrlichia infection in patients and biological samples. Antibodies directed against such polypeptides are also provided.

Abstract: Compounds and methods are provided for diagnosing Trypanosoma cruzi infection. The disclosed compounds are polypeptides, or antibodies thereto, that contain one or more epitopes of T. cruzi antigens. The compounds are useful in a variety of immunoassays for detecting T. cruzi infection. The polypeptide compounds are further useful in vaccines and pharmaceutical compositions for inducing protective immunity against Chagas' disease in individuals exposed to T. cruzi.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for the detection and therapy of breast cancer are disclosed. The compounds provided include nucleotide sequences that are preferentially expressed in breast tumor tissue, as well as polypeptides encoded by such nucleotide sequences. Vaccines and pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds are also provided and may be used, for example, for the prevention and treatment of breast cancer. The polypeptides may also be used for the production of antibodies, which are useful for diagnosing and monitoring the progression of breast cancer in a patient.

Abstract: Compounds and methods for the diagnosis and treatment of Babesia microti infection are disclosed. The compounds provided include polypeptides that contain at least one antigenic portion of a B. microti antigen and DNA sequences encoding such polypeptides. Antigenic epitopes of such antigens are also provided, together with pharmaceutical compositions and vaccines comprising such polypeptides, DNA sequences or antigenic epitopes. Diagnostic kits containing such polypeptides, DNA sequences or antigenic epitopes and a suitable detection reagent may be used for the detection of B. microti infection in patients and biological samples. Antibodies directed against such polypeptides and antigenic epitopes are also provided.

Abstract: Compounds and methods for treating lung cancer are provided. The inventive compounds include polypeptides containing at least a portion of a lung tumor protein. Vaccines and pharmaceutical compositions for immunotherapy of lung cancer comprising such polypeptides, or DNA molecules encoding such polypeptides, are also provided, together with DNA molecules for preparing the inventive polypeptides.

Abstract: Compounds and methods for the diagnosis and treatment of Ehrlichia infection, in particular human granulocytic ehrlichiosis, are disclosed. The compounds provided include polypeptides that contain at least one antigenic portion of an Ehrlichia antigen and DNA sequences encoding such polypeptides. Pharmaceutical compositions and vaccines comprising such polypeptides or DNA sequences are also provided. Diagnostic kits containing such polypeptides or DNA sequences and a suitable detection reagent may be used for the detection of Ehrlichia infection in patients and biological samples. Antibodies directed against such polypeptides are also provided.

Abstract: Compounds and methods for the diagnosis and treatment of B. microti infection are disclosed. The compounds provided include polypeptides that contain at least one antigenic portion of a B. microti antigen and DNA sequences encoding such polypeptides. Antigenic epitopes of such antigens are also provided, together with pharmaceutical compositions and vaccines comprising such polypeptides, DNA sequences or antigenic epitopes. Diagnostic kits containing such polypeptides, DNA sequences or antigenic epitopes and a suitable detection reagent may be used for the detection of B. microti infection in patients and biological samples. Antibodies directed against such polypeptides and antigenic epitopes are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides immunogenic oligopeptides derived from the chemokine receptor protein for use in compositions and methods for the treatment, and prevention of inflammatory responses.

Abstract: Compounds and methods for the diagnosis and treatment of Chlamydial infection are disclosed. The compounds provided include polypeptides that contain at least one antigenic portion of a Chlamydial antigen and DNA sequences encoding such polypeptides. Pharmaceutical compositions and vaccines comprising such polypeptides or DNA sequences are also provided, together with antibodies directed against such polypeptides. Diagnostic kits containing such polypeptides or DNA sequences and a suitable detection reagent may be used for the detection of Chlamydial infection in patients and in biological samples.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to unglycosylated, prokaryoticauly-expressed MHC polypeptides, methods of producing these polypeptides, and complexes consisting essentially of an isolated MHC component and an antigenic peptide associated with the antigen binding site of the MHC component. These complexes are useful in treating deleterious immune responses, such as autoimmunity.

Abstract: Compounds and methods are provided for diagnosing Trypanosoma cruzi infection. The disclosed compounds are polypeptides, or antibodies thereto, that contain one or more epitopes of T. cruzi antigens. The compounds are useful in a variety of immunoassays for detecting T. cruzi infection. The polypeptide compounds are further useful in vaccines and pharmaceutical compositions for inducing protective immunity against Chagas' disease in individuals exposed to T. cruzi.

Abstract: Compounds and methods for treating and diagnosing prostate cancer are provided. The inventive compounds include polypeptides containing at least a portion of a prostate protein. Vaccines and pharmaceutical compositions for immunotherapy of prostate cancer comprising such polypeptides or DNA molecules encoding such polypeptides are also provided. The inventive polypeptides may also be used to generate antibodies useful for the diagnosis and monitoring of prostate cancer. Nucleic acid sequences for preparing probes, primers, and polypeptides are also provided.

Abstract: Methods for eliciting or enhancing immune responses to antigens, including tumor antigens, and/or DNA vaccines are provided. The methods employ polypeptides or nucleic acid compositions that contain at least a biologically active portion of a Leishmania braziliensis or Leishmania major homologue of the eukaryotic initiation factor 4A, or a variant thereof. Such polypeptides and compositions are useful for enhancing or eliciting a patient's cellular and/or humoral immune response, for instance within methods for treating tumors.

Abstract: A murine model for human ovarian and prostate cancer is provided. The model comprises an immunodeficient mouse containing human primary ovarian or prostate carcinoma tissue implanted within the gonadal fat pad. Methods of using the murine model, for example, to grow tumors and to screen treatments for ovarian and/or prostate cancer are also provided.

Abstract: Compounds and methods for diagnosing Leishmania tropica infection, or for screening for L. tropica infection, are disclosed. The disclosed compounds are polypeptides that contain one or more epitopes of an L. tropica protein, Lt-210. The compounds are useful in a variety of in vitro and in vivo immunoassays for detecting L. tropica infection. The polypeptides are further useful in vaccines and pharmaceutical compositions for preventing leishmaniasis in individuals exposed to L. tropica.

Abstract: Compounds and methods for diagnosing Trypanosoma cruzi infection, or for screening for T. cruzi or Leishmania infection, are disclosed. The disclosed compounds are polypeptides, or antibodies thereto, that contain one or more antigenic epitopes of T. cruzi proteins. The compounds are useful in a variety of immunoassays for detecting T. cruzi infection. The polypeptide compounds are further useful in vaccines and pharmaceutical compositions for preventing Chagas' disease in individuals exposed to T. cruzi.

Abstract: Compounds and methods are provided for diagnosing Trypanosoma cruzi infection. The disclosed compounds are polypeptides, or antibodies thereto, that contain one or more epitopes of T. cruzi antigens. The compounds are useful in a variety of immunoassays for detecting T. cruzi infection. The polypeptide compounds are further useful in vaccines and pharmaceutical compositions for inducing protective immunity against Chagas' disease in individuals exposed to T. cruzi.

Abstract: Compounds and methods are provided for diagnosing Leishmania infection. Disclosed compounds include polypeptides that contain at least an epitope of the Leishmania chagasi acidic ribosomal antigen LcP0, or a variant thereof. Such compounds are useful in a variety of immunoassays for detecting Leishmania infection and for identifying individuals with asymptomatic infections that are likely to progress to acute visceral leishmaniasis. The polypeptide compounds are further useful in vaccines and pharmaceutical compositions for preventing leishmaniasis.