Abstract: The invention generally relates to the prevention and/or treatment of cancer, and, more specifically, to the treatment of tumors, including solid tumors and their metastases, without radiation or standard chemotherapeutic agents. In one embodiment, the invention involves a method comprising: a) providing a subject with tumor cells, b) removing at least a portion of said tumor cells from said subject to create removed cells, c) treating at least a portion of said removed cells ex vivo, using stimulating agents, including thapsigargin and/or thapsigargin-related compounds, so as to create treated tumor cells; and d) introducing said treated tumor cells (or fragments thereof) in vivo into the same subject to generate anticancer therapeutic effects.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to the prevention and/or treatment of cancer, and, more specifically, to the treatment of tumors, including solid tumors and their metastases, without radiation or standard chemotherapeutic agents. In one embodiment, the invention involves a method comprising: a) providing a subject with tumor cells, b) removing at least a portion of said tumor cells from said subject to create removed cells, c) treating at least a portion of said removed cells ex vivo, using stimulating agents, including thapsigargin and/or thapsigargin-related compounds, so as to create treated tumor cells; and d) introducing said treated tumor cells (or fragments thereof) in vivo into the same subject to generate anticancer therapeutic effects.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and compositions for reducing or inhibiting net beta-amyloid peptide production and/or amyloid plaque formation. The methods and compositions involve administering a netrin-1 polypeptide or netrin-1 therapeutic to a subject in need thereof.

Abstract: This invention pertains to the development of a screening system to identify (screen for) HER2 promoter silencing agents. Such agents are expected to be of therapeutic value in the treatment of cancers characterized by HER2 amplification/upregulation. In addition, this invention pertains to the discovery that histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors like sodium butyrate and trichostatin A (TSA), in a time and dose dependent fashion can silence genomically integrated and/or amplified/overexpressing promoters, such as that driving the HER2/ErbB2/neu oncogene, resulting in inhibition of gene products including transcripts and protein, and subsequent production of tumor/cell growth inhibition, apoptosis and/or differentiation. In another embodiment, this invention provides novel SNPs associated with the coding region of the ERbB2 proto-oncogene. The SNPs are indicators for altered risk, for developing ErbB2-positive cancer in a mammal.

Abstract: The invention provides compositions and methods for the treatment of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and for inhibiting, reducing, delaying and/or preventing the progression of MCI to Alzheimer's disease. The methods entail administering an effective amount of one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of tropisetron, disulfuram, honokiol and nimetazepam. The methods also are useful for prophylactic and therapeutic treatment of amyloidogenic diseases, including Alzheimer's disease.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to compounds and methods for treating a mammal exposed to Francisella tularensis.

Abstract: This invention provides methods of reducing levels of amyloid beta (A?) protein and/or netrin-1 in a mammal. In certain embodiments the methods involve administering to the mammal a fragment of an amyloid precursor protein, or a mutant amyloid precursor protein, in an amount sufficient to decrease circulating levels of free A? protein in said mammal, wherein said fragment is a fragment of the extracellular domain of APP or a mutant thereof that binds amyloid beta protein and/or netrin-1.

Abstract: This invention pertains to the identification of neurogenerative and/or neurotrophic factors that can induce migration of stem cells to neural tissue and/or induce proliferation and/or differentiation of such cells into neurons. Such agents include, but are not limited to stem cell factor (SCF), heparin binding EGF (HB-EGF), and VEGF.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for reducing or inhibiting net beta-amyloid peptide production and amyloid plaque formation associated with Alzheimer's Disease by administering to a subject an amount of a netrin-1 polypeptide, wherein the netrin-1 polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence that a) binds to a naturally occurring APP protein and b) inhibits A? peptide production. A netrin-1 polypeptide has an amino acid sequence sufficient for specific binding of the netrin-1 polypeptide to the APP protein. A netrin-1 polypeptide can mimic netrin-1-mediated signal transduction by altering the localization, protein-protein binding and/or enzymatic activity of an intracellular protein involved in an APP signal pathway.

Abstract: Mitochondrial targets for drug screening assays and for therapeutic intervention in the treatment of diseases associated with altered mitochondrial function are provided. Complete amino acid sequences [SEQ ID NOS:1-3025] of polypeptides that comprise the human heart mitochondrial proteome are provided, using fractionated proteins derived from highly purified mitochondrial preparations, to identify previously unrecognized mitochondrial molecular components.