Abstract: The present invention relates to a promoter region of a microRNA, the use of a microRNA, in particular miR-21, and related elements for the diagnosis and for the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment and/or prevention of fibrosis and/or fibrosis related diseases. Additionally, the invention concerns antisense oligonucleotides against targets of miR-21. A cell deficient for miR-21, the promoter region and targets of miR-21 and a knock-out organism thereof are also encompassed. Finally, the invention is directed to a method for diagnosing fibrosis and/or fibrosis related diseases and to a method for screening a pharmaceutically active compound for the treatment of fibrosis and/or fibrosis related diseases. The present invention further relates to compositions for use in the treatment, amelioration, and/or prevention of fibrosis. In certain embodiments, the compositions modulate the activity of a miRNA for the treatment, amelioration, and/or prevention of fibrosis.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a mutein of a bone morphogenetic protein, whereby the mutein comprises an amino acid substitution compared to the wildtype of the bone morphogenetic protein at the amino acid position corresponding to amino acid position 51 of human BMP-2.

Abstract: The invention relates to microRNAs (miRNAs) for the diagnosis, prophylaxis and/or treatment of heart diseases. It relates in particular to SEQ ID No: 1 to SEQ ID No: 29 for the diagnosis, prophylaxis and/or treatment of heart diseases. In addition, the invention relates to the use of these sequences to produce a medicament for heart diseases and for the diagnosis thereof. Also encompassed are a method for the diagnosis of a heart disease, a kit and an expression vector comprising these sequences, a cell which contains the expression vector, and also a method for modulating a heart disease and a method for screening a pharmaceutically active compound for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of a heart disease.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a method for increasing shoot-to-root ratio of a plant comprising the step of inhibiting the activity of an invertase in the root tissue of said plant.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a peptide selected from the group comprising a) a cyclic peptide of formula (I): Cyclo(AIa-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-Cys-x-x-x-Pro-x-Cys-Cys-xk-GIn), (I) whereby k is any integer from 0 to 6, preferably any integer from 1 to 6, more preferably k=6; b) a cyclic peptide of formula (II): Cyclo(Ala-x-x-Trp-x-x-Gly-x-Phe-x-Cys-xh-Gln), (II) whereby h is any integer from 0 to 2, preferably 1 or 2; c) a cyclic peptide of formula (III): Cyclo(AIa-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-Cys-xj-Cys-x-x-x-Pro-x-Cys-Cys-xi-Gln); (HI) whereby j is any integer from 0 to 4, preferably j=4; whereby i is any integer from 0 to 6, preferably any integer from 1 to 6, more preferably i?6; and d) a peptide of formula (IV): Ala-x1-Cys-xm-Cys-x-x-x-Pro-x-Cys-Cys-xn-Gln, (IV) whereby 1 is any integer from 0 to 9, preferably any integer from 1 to 9, more preferably n=9; whereby m is any integer from 0 to 4, preferably any integer from 1 to 4, more preferably m=4; whereby n is any integer from O to 6, preferably any integer from