Abstract: Methods and compositions comprising essential oils or components thereof for protecting harvested fruits against decay caused by a specific pathogenic fungus are provided, such as Cinnamon cassia oil for protection of persimmons against Alternaria alternata, strawberries against Botrytis cinerea, or mandarins against Penicillium italicum or Penicillium digitatum.

Abstract: The invention provides a polynucleotide comprising a sequence encoding a polypeptide that is capable of high level presentation of antigenic peptides on antigen-presenting cells, wherein the polypeptide comprises a ?2-microglobulin molecule that is linked through its carboxyl terminal to a bridge peptide which spans the whole distance to the cell membrane, said bridge peptide being linked to a polypeptide stretch consisting of the full or partial transmembrane and/or cytoplasmic domains selected from the group consisting of a toll-like receptor (TLR) polypeptide, a CD40 polypeptide, and TLR and CD40 polypeptides fused in tandem, that allows the anchorage of the ?2-microglobulin molecule to the cell membrane, and through its amino terminal to at least one antigenic peptide comprising an MHC class I epitope, wherein said antigenic peptide is preferably derived from a tumor-associated antigen or from a pathogenic antigen.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the isolation of T cell lymphocyte, preferably, CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocyte, which is capable of specifically recognizing an antigen related to a pathologic disorder. The method of the invention is base on ability of the CTL's to capture membrane from labeled target cells. The invention further provides compositions comprising said specific lymphocytes and methods for the treatment of said pathologic disorder using the specific lymphocytes isolated and prepared by the method of the invention.

Abstract: Pharmaceutical or cosmetic compositions including cruciferous plant extract or isothiocyanates such as 4-methyl-thio-butyl-isothiocyanate which are useful for treating psoriasis are provided.

Abstract: A method of increasing methionine and/or methionine related metabolites in a plant is provided. The method is effected by expressing within the plant a cystathionine ?-synthase encoded by a polynucleotide mutated in, or lacking, a region encoding an N-terminal portion of said cystathionine ?-synthase, said region being functional in downregulating an activity of said cystathionine ?-synthase in the plant.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), Ph+ acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), prostate cancer and ?-globin disorders such as sickle cell anemia and ?-thalassemia, comprising administration of a mycelium extract from at least one higher Basidiomycetes medicinal mushroom selected from the group consisting of Ganoderma adspersum, Hypsizygus ulmarium, Kuehneromyces mutabilis, Omphalotus olearius, Panus conchatus, Piptoporus betulinus, Pleurotus eryngii, and Trametes zonata.

Abstract: The invention provides DNA molecules encoding a chimeric polypeptide comprising (a) a component of a MHC molecule capable of association on a cell surface with an endogenous MHC molecule component of the same class, and (b) an intracellular region of a signal transduction element capable of activating T cells. Component (a) may be a monomorphic component and is preferably beta 2-microglobulin, or a polymorphic class I or class II component. The signal transduction element (b) capable of activating T cells may be a component of T-cell receptor CD3, preferably the CD3 zeta (zeta) polypeptide, a B cell receptor polypeptide or an Fc receptor polypeptide. Immune cells such as a CTLs expressing said chimeric MHC molecules specifically eliminate or inactivate harmful T cells and are useful for treating graft rejection and autoimmune diseases.

Abstract: Disclosed are recombinant multiple epitope polypeptides (MEPs) consisting of T cell epitopes derived from tumor-associated antigens capable of being presented by an antigen presenting cell (APC), the recombinant nucleic acid sequences and expression vectors encoding them, and host cells transfected with said expression vectors. Further described are LTB-MEP fusion proteins comprising the E. Coli heat labile enterotoxin subunit B (LTB) peptide fused to a MEP by a synthetic linker, the recombinant nucleic acid sequences and expression vectors encoding them and host cell transfected with said expression vectors. Further included are compositions for inducing an immune response against malignancies, pharmaceutical compositions and a transdermal drug delivery system for the treatment of malignant disorders. Also disclosed are methods for conferring immunity against malignancies and for the treatment of malignant disorders.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), Ph+ acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), prostate cancer and ?-globin disorders such as sickle cell anemia and ?-thalassemia, comprising administration of a mycelium extract from at least one higher Basidiomycetes medicinal mushroom selected from the group consisting of Ganoderma adspersum, Hypsizygus ulmarium, Kuehneromyces mutabilis, Omphalotus olearius, Panus conchatus, Piptoporus betulinus, Pleurotus eryngii, and Trametes zonata.

Abstract: The invention relates to compositions comprising a mycelium extract from at least one higher Basidiomycetes medicinal mushroom selected from the group consisting of Ganoderma adspersum, Hypsizygus ulmarium, Kuehneromyces mutabilis, Omphalotus olearius, Panus conchatus, Piptoporus betulinus, Pleurotus eryngii, and Trametes zonata, said composition having selective antiproliferative activity on the human chronic myelogenous leukemia K562 cells and on the human prostate cancer LNCaP cells. The compositions are useful for treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), Ph+ acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), prostate cancer and ?-globin disorders such as sickle cell anemia and ?-thalassemia.

Abstract: The invention provides a polynucleotide comprising a sequence encoding a polypeptide comprising a beta2-microglobulin molecule linked through its carboxyl terminal to a polypeptide stretch that allows the anchorage of the beta2-microglobulin molecule to the cell membrane, and through its amino terminal to at least one antigenic peptide comprising a MHC class I epitope, wherein said antigenic peptide is not related to an autoimmune disease and is preferably derived from a tumor-associated antigen or from a pathogenic antigen. Antigen presenting cells, and DNA and cellular vaccines for treatment of cancer and infectious diseases, are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a composition for conferring to a subject, immunity against a gastrointestinal (GI) pathogen, particularly Salmonella. The composition of the invention comprises as an active ingredient at least one microorganism transformed with at least one vector comprising a nucleic acid sequence coding for an immunoglobulin-like polypeptide having specific binding affinity for said pathogen. The invention further relates to the single-chain variable fragment (ScFv) antibody molecule having affinity for Salmonella species, used by the invention and to methods for the treatment of infections of gastrointestinal enteropathogenic bacteria in a subject.