Abstract: An immunotoxin molecule comprising an antibody specific for human CD 86 antigen located on the surface of a human cell, coupled to a toxin molecule or active fragment thereof, wherein the binding of the immunotoxin to the CD86 antigen results in the killing of CD86 expressing cell and pharmaceutical compositions and the use therefor to treat diseases of the immune system of warm-blooded animals.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for genotyping any HCV isolate present in a biological sample, previously identified as being HCV positive, and for classifying said isolate according to the percentage of homology with other HCV isolates, comprising the steps of:contacting said sample in which the ribonucleotides or deoxyribonucleotides have been made accessible, if need be, under suitable denaturation, with at least one probe from about 10 to about 40 nucleotides, with said probe being liable to hybridize to a region being in the domain extending from nucleotide at position -291 to nucleotide at position -66 of the 5' untranslated region of one of the HCV isolates represented by their cDNA sequences, with said numbering of position beginning with the first ATG codon of the open reading frame encoding the HCV polyprotein, br with said probe being complementary to the above-defined probes,detecting the complexes possibly formed between said probe and the nucleotide sequence of the HCV isolate to be identifie

Abstract: The present invention relates to human foam cells generated in vitro from monocyte/macrophage related cell lines which give rise to an average intracellular cholesterol amount of at least 139+36 ug/mg cell protein as determined by HPLC, with said cholesterol being characterized by a degree of 46+6% of esterification as determined by HPLC. The invention also relates to monoclonal antibodies selected via said foam cells and which can be used for pharmaceutical and diagnostic purposes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for detection and identification of at least one microorganism, or for the simultaneous detection of several microorganisms in a sample, comprising the steps of: (i) if need be releasing, isolating or concentrating the polynucleic acids present in the sample; (ii) if need be amplifying the 16S-23S rRNA spacer region, or a part of it, with at least one suitable primer pair, (iii) hybridizing the polynucleic acids of step (i) or (ii) with at least one and preferably more than one of the spacer probes as mentioned in table 1a or equivalents of thereof, under the appropriate hybridization arid wash conditions, and/or with a taxon-specific probe derived from any of the spacer sequences as represented in FIGS.

Abstract: Described is a new variety of retrovirus designated HIV-3, samples of which are deposited in the European Collection of Animal Cell Cultures (ECACC) under V88060301. Further described are antigens obtained from the virus, particularly proteins p12, p16, p25 and glycoproteins gp41 and gp120 to be used in the diagnosis of ARC or AIDS caused by HIV-3. Immunogenic compositions to be used as vaccines contain an envelope glycoprotein of HIV-3 such as gp41 or gp120.

Abstract: The invention deals with isolated human tau peptide epitopes of SEQ ID Nos: 1 to 4, 7 and 15 to 20 which have the capability of binding AT120 monoclonal antibody.

Abstract: Peptide sequences are provided which are capable of mimicking proteins encoded by HCV for use as reagents for screening of blood and blood products for prior exposure to HCV. The peptides are at least 5 amino acids long and can be used in various specific assays for the detection of antibodies to HCV, for the detection of HCV antigens, or as immunogens.

Abstract: Monoclonal antibody AT180 secreted by the hybridoma deposited at ECACC on Dec. 22, 1992 under No. 92122204, and monoclonal antibody AT270 secreted by the hybridoma deposited at ECACC on Jul. 7, 1993 under 93070774, each of which forms an immunological complex with a phosphorylated epitope of an antigen belonging to abnormally phosphorylated tau protein (PHF-tau) residing in the region spanning positions 143-254 with the following amino acid sequence:143 150 NH.sub.

Abstract: An isolated and purified nucleic acid comprising:a nucleotide sequence which has at least 50% sequence identity, with any of the nucleotide sequences coding for polypeptides containing in their pepridic chains:the amino acid sequence of 311 amino acids of FIGS. 2 or 3,or a fragment of this sequence being such that it is able to produce antibodies capable of forming a complex with the amino acid sequence of FIG. 2 or 3,or an amino acid sequence having a percentage of homology of at least 50%, with the amino acid sequence of FIG. 2 or 3,or a sequence able to form a complex with antibodies raised against the amino acid sequence of FIG.

Abstract: The invention relates to nucleic acids which contain particularly a nucleotide sequence extending from the extremity constituted by the nucleotide at position (1) to the extremity constituted by the nucleotide at position (1211) represented on the figure, to the polypeptides coded by said nucleic acids. The polypeptides of the invention can be used for the diagnosis of tuberculosis, and can also be part of the active principle in the preparation of a vaccine against tuberculosis.

Abstract: The invention relates to a probe consisting of at least about 15 nucleotides from the spacer region between rRNA genes of a non-viral organism, particularly prokaryotic organism and more particularly bacteria, and preferably from about 15 nucleotides to about the maximum number of nucleotides of the spacer region and more preferably from about 15 to about 100 nucleotides to be used for the detection of non-viral microorganisms.

Abstract: Peptide sequences are provided which are capable of mimicking proteins encoded by HCV for use as reagents for screening of blood and blood products for prior exposure to HCV. The peptides are at least 5 amino acids long and can be used in various specific assays for the detection of antibodies to HCV, for the detection of HCV antigens, or as immunogens.

Abstract: The invention relates to recombinant polypeptides and peptides which can also be used for the diagnosis of tuberculosis. The invention also relates to a process for preparing the above polypeptides and peptides, which are in a state of biological purity such that they can be used as part of the active principle in the preparation of vaccines against tuberculosis. The invention additionally relates to nucleic acids coding for said polypeptides and peptides.

Abstract: Peptide sequences are provided which are capable of mimicking proteins encoded by HCV for use as reagents for screening of blood and blood products for prior exposure to HCV. The peptides are at least 5 amino acids long and can be used in various specific assays for the detection of antibodies to HCV, for the detection of HCV antigens, or as immunogens.

Abstract: This invention is directed toward a peptide corresponding to an immunologically important viral epitope. Specifically, the peptide corresponds to an immunodominant epitope identified in the gp41 region of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), strain Ant70. This peptide has the following amino acid sequence: NH.sub.2 -Leu-Trp-Gly-Cys-Lys-Gly-Lys-Leu-Val-Cys-CO.sub.2 H. The invention also relates to the use of this peptide, particularly when biotinylated in the form of complexes of streptavidin-biotinylated peptides or of avidin-biotinylated peptides, for the in vitro determination of HIV-1-specific antibodies.

Abstract: The invention relates to tumor necrosis factor muteins characterized in that the TNF-.alpha. amino acid sequence is mutated, or deleted totally or partially, in the region containing position 101 to 116 in such a way that:either the lectin-like activity is reduced with respect to TNF-.alpha.,or the toxic activity is reduced with respect to TNF-.alpha.; and providing that said muteins have largely retained the tumoricidal activity of TNF-.alpha.; and with said muteins possibly containing in their peptidic chain additional modifications consisting of substitutions and/or deletions and/or additions of one or several amino acid residues, and with said muteins being characterized in that they have retained the aforementioned activities; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for typing or subtyping one or more HLA-B alleles characterized by the sequence GCCA at position 30 to 33 of exon 2 (with said numbering being according to Zemmour and Parham, 1992), liable to be present in a sample, with said method comprising at least the following steps: (i) amplifying HLA-B alleles with at least one 5' end amplification primer selected from the following list: 5' -AGGTATTTCTACCCGCCA-3' (B25P) or sequence variants thereof, in combination with an appropriate 3' end primer being chosen from the same alleles as the above defined 5' end primers, with said 5' and 3' end primers being possibly labelled; and, (ii) hybridizing the amplified product, being labelled during or after amplification, at appropriate conditions with one or more suitable probes selected from region 15 to 261 of the HLA-B exon 2 region, with said numbering being according to Zemmour and Parham 1992, (iii) washing at appropriate washing conditions, (iv) detecting the hybrids formed; and, (v)

Abstract: The invention relates to a monoclonal antibody which forms an immunological complex with an epitope of an antigen belonging to normal human tau protein as well as abnormally phosphorylated human tau protein, with said tau protein being liable to be obtained from a brain homogenate, itself isolated from human cerebral cortex. The monoclonal antibodies of the invention can be used to detect tau and abnormally phosphorylated tau in brain extracts and in unconcentrated cerebrospinal fluid.

Abstract: Described is a new variety of retrovirus designated HIV-3, samples of which are deposited in the European Collection of Animal Cell Cultures (ECACC) under V88060301. Further described are antigens obtained from the virus, particularly proteins p12, p16, p25 and glycoproteins gp41 and gp120 to be used in the diagnosis of ARC or AIDS caused by HIV-3. The methods to detect antibodies against HIV-3 retrovirus in a biological fluid involve contacting the suspect body fluid with a composition containing one or more of the proteins or glycoproteins of HIV-3 or with a lysate of the virus, or with an antigen possessing epitopes common to HIV-3, and detecting the immunological conjugate formed between the anti-HIV-3 antibodies and the antigen(s) used.

Abstract: A method of genotyping of HCV isolates using probes targeting sequences from the 5- untranslated region of HCV.