Abstract: The present invention relates to a medicament for use in a method of inducing a cellular cytotoxic immune response, the method comprising the steps of: i) administering to a patient a delivery system comprising (a) a molecule binding to a receptor on the surface of a dendritic cell, (b) an antigen-comprising protein bound to molecule of (a) and (c) a first adjuvant, wherein upon binding of the molecule of (a) to the receptor, the protein of (b) is internalized and processed in the dendritic cell and the antigen comprised in the protein is presented on the surface of the dendritic cell, thereby activating a T cell in the patient; and ii) administering to the patient a re-activator selected from the group consisting of (d) complexed interleukin 2 (IL-2cx), (e) a peptide-loaded major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) presenting cell and a second adjuvant, and (f) a combination of (d) and (e), wherein the peptide is derived from the antigen-comprising protein as defined in step i), thereby reactivating t

Abstract: A method for disrupting a sample of biological material of human, animal, or plant origin for subsequent proteome analysis by a mass spectrometry method is provided. The method involves disrupting the sample by treatment with a certain volume of an organic acid until the sample completely dissolves, incubating the sample for a certain period, and then neutralizing the sample with a neutralizing solution until a pH value between 7 and 9 is reached.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a delivery system suitable for delivering a substance into a XCR1 positive professional antigen-presenting cell, one or more nucleic acids coding for the same, a vector comprising the nucleic acid(s), a medicament comprising the delivery system or the one or more nucleic acid(s) and an adjuvant comprising XCL1 or a functionally active fragment thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a medicament for use in a method of extending a cellular cytotoxic immune response against an antigen-comprising protein, the method comprising the step of: i) administering to a patient having T cells activated against an antigen a peptide-loaded major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) presenting cell and an adjuvant which supports a Th-1-mediated response, wherein the peptide is derived from the antigen-comprising protein, thereby re-activating the activated T cell, wherein the peptide-loaded major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) presenting cell of step i) is administered in a time frame of from 0 h to 14 days after the T cells were activated against an antigen.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to binding agents useful in the selective depletion of T cells in vivo. More specifically, the invention relates to ICOS-binding agents which once bound to ICOS expressed on the surface of cells, in particular ICOS-bearing activated T cells, result in the in vivo depletion of cells to which they are bound. Methods of treating T cell related diseases using said ICOS-binding agents, and pharmaceutical compositions comprising said ICOS-binding agents, a method of identifying an ICOS-binding agent, and monoclonal anti-ICOS antibodies capable of eliminating cells in vivo which express ICOS on their surface are also provided.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are various polypeptides that can be included in immunogenic compositions specific for pathogenic E. coli strains. The polypeptides have cellular locations which render them accessible to the immune system. The genes encoding the polypeptides were initially identified as being present in uropathogenic strain 536 but absent from non-pathogenic strains.

Abstract: A polypeptide (8F4 molecule) with a T-cell costimulating biological activity is disclosed, as well as monoclonal antibodies against the 8F4 molecule and hybridoma cells which produce the monoclonal antibodies, the use as medicaments of substances which inhibit the biological activity of the 8F4 polypeptide, in particular monoclonal antibodies, natural or synthetic ligands, agonists or antagonists, in particular for preventing or treating diseases which involve the immune system, the use of the 8F4 molecule or cells containing the 8F4 molecule as medicaments, in particular for preventing or treating diseases which involve the immune system, and the use of substances which specifically recognize the 8F4 polypeptide, in particular monoclonal antibodies, natural or synthetic ligands, agonists or antagonists, for diagnosing diseases which involve the immune system.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a delivery system suitable for delivering a substance into a XCR1 positive professional antigen-presenting cell, one or more nucleic acids coding for the same, a vector comprising the nucleic acid(s), a medicament comprising the delivery system or the one or more nucleic acid(s) and an adjuvant comprising XCL1 or a functionally active fragment thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for specifically detecting Ljungan virus (LV). In particular, the present invention relates to a method of detecting LV using quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase PCR. The present invention also provides kits for performing the method of the invention.

Abstract: A polypeptide (8F4 molecule) with a T-cell costimulating biological activity is disclosed, as well as monoclonal antibodies against the 8F4 molecule and hybridoma cells which produce the monoclonal antibodies, the use as medicaments of substances which inhibit the biological activity of the 8F4 polypeptide, in particular monoclonal antibodies, natural or synthetic ligands, agonists or antagonists, in particular for preventing or treating diseases which involve the immune system, the use of the 8F4 molecule or cells containing the 8F4 molecule as medicaments, in particular for preventing or treating diseases which involve the immune system, and the use of substances which specifically recognize the 8F4 polypeptide, in particular monoclonal antibodies, natural or synthetic ligands, agonists or antagonists, for diagnosing diseases which involve the immune system.

Abstract: A polypeptide (8F4 molecule) with a T-cell costimulating biological activity is disclosed, as well as monoclonal antibodies against said 8F4 molecule and hybridoma cells which produce the monoclonal antibodies, the use as medicaments of substances which inhibit the biological activity of the disclosed 8F4 polypeptide, in particular monoclonal antibodies, natural or synthetic ligands, agonists or antagonists, in particular for preventing or treating diseases which involve the immune system, the use of said 8F4 molecule or cells containing said 8F4 molecule as medicaments, in particular for preventing or treating diseases which involve the immune system, and the use of substances which specifically recognize the disclosed polypeptide, in particular monoclonal antibodies, natural or synthetic ligands, agonists or antagonists, for diagnosing diseases which involve the immune system.

Abstract: A method for diagnosing TSE-induced pathologic changes in tissues including the steps of: (a) directing infrared radiation to a tissue sample with pathologic changes caused by TSE, recording its spectral characteristics after irradiation and (b) comparing and classifying the infrared spectra thus obtained with a reference database containing infrared spectra of TSE-infected tissues and non-infected tissues.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of suppressing demyelinating inflammatory disorders in a patient by administering to the patient a compound that inhibits binding of B7RP-1 to ICOS or inhibits signaling through the B7RP-1 pathway. Various therapeutic regimens are provided. Methods of identifying such compounds are also provided. The present invention further provides kits and pharmaceutical compositions useful in the present methods.