Abstract: The present invention provides isolated peptides of the major protein allergens of the genus Dermatophagoides. Peptides within the scope of the invention comprises at least one T cell epitope, or preferably at least two T cell epitopes of a protein allergen selected from the allergens Der p I, Der p II, Der f I, or Der f II. The invention also pertains to modified peptides having similar or enhanced therapeutic properties as the corresponding, naturally-occurring allergen or portion thereof, but having reduced side effects. The invention further provides nucleic acid sequences coding for peptides of the invention. Methods of treatment or of diagnosis of sensitivity to house dust mites in an individual and therapeutic compositions comprising one or more peptides of the invention are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for detecting an amplification product. Amplification is accomplished through the use of a plurality of detection probes. The present invention is also directed to a method for detecting a target nucleic acid sequence by contacting a test sample with an excess of at least three pairs of nucleic acid amplification probes.

Abstract: The invention relates to a scleroprotein of an adeno-associated virus which contains at least one mutation. Said mutation causes the chromatographic properties to be modified. The invention also relates to the production of said scleroprotein and the use thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions comprising a novel recombinant virus which replicates selectively in cells or tissues that are hypoxic or have an activated HIF pathway. The novel compositions of the invention comprise a recombinant virus genetically engineered to have a hypoxia/HIF-responsive element, or a multiplicity of such elements, operably linked to a promoter which is in turn operably linked to a nucleic acid(s) encoding a peptide(s) which regulates or modulates replication of the virus and/or encode a therapeutic molecule. The invention also includes constructs useful for screening of agents which interact with proteins or genes in the hypoxia-inducible pathway or are jointly translated under hypoxia and animal models useful for monitoring a variety of hypoxic conditions in a non-invasive manner.

Abstract: Multiple branch peptide constructions formed from peptide-branches derived from the envelope transmembrane glycoprotein gp41 of HIV, and including the consensus sequence RQGY preceded by 0 to 4 amino acid residues and succeeded by 0 to 4 amino acid residues, most preferably RQGYS, show increased receptor affinity and prevent cell-to-cell fusion. They have a direct virostatic effect. Because they present the same peptide sequence several times, these MBPCs are able to neutralize in vitro the different steps of virus envelope/cell membrane fusion, and infected cell membrane/uninfected cell membrane fusion of several strains of HIV-1 and HIV-2. These results open a potential use in treatment of HIV infection.

Abstract: Chimpanzee monoclonal antibodies and antigen binding fragments including a ?1-chain CDR3 region that bind hepatitis A virus (HAV) antigen are disclosed herein. The antibodies neutralize HAV. Also disclosed are methods for using these antibodies and antigen binding fragments in the detection of hepatitis A virus, the inhibition of infection of a subject with hepatitis A virus, and in screening for agents that affect HAV.

Abstract: The present invention relates to polynucleotides encoding immunogenic HIV polypeptides. Uses of the polynucleotides in applications including immunization, generation of packaging cell lines, and production of HIV polypeptides are also described. Polynucleotides encoding antigenic HIV polypeptides are described, as are uses of these polynucleotides and polypeptide products therefrom, including formulations of immunogenic compositions and uses thereof.

Abstract: The present invention is related to the fields of molecular biology, virology, immunology and medicine. The invention provides a composition comprising an ordered and repetitive antigen or antigenic determinant array, and in particular an A?1-6 peptide-VLP-composition. More specifically, the invention provides a composition comprising a virus-like particle and at least one A?1-6 peptide bound thereto. The invention also provides a process for producing the conjugates and the ordered and repetitive arrays, respectively. The compositions of the invention are useful in the production of vaccines for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and as a pharmaccine to prevent or cure Alzheimer's disease and to efficiently induce immune responses, in particular antibody responses. Furthermore, the compositions of the invention are particularly useful to efficiently induce self-specific immune responses within the indicated context.

Abstract: The present invention provides particles for the presentation of haptens for the purpose of eliciting an immune response. The amino acid sequences of the monomers which make up the particles are derived from duck hepatitis B virus core protein. The particles may also deliver nucleic acids. The nucleic acids may be delivered for the purpose of enhancing an immune response, or for other purposes such as gene therapy.

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions and methods for the detection of the presence, absence, or quantity of a segmented negative strand RNA virus such as an influenza virus. A genetically engineered vertebrate cell comprising an artificial segment comprising a 5? UTR and a 3? UTR of a segmented negative strand RNA virus and an open reading frame of a reporter gene, preferably in an anti-sense orientation, is contacted with a biological specimen suspected of comprising a segmented negative strand virus. Infection of the cell with a segmented negative strand RNA virus results in expression of a polypeptide encoded by the reporter gene. A genetically engineered cell of the invention can also comprise a recombinant DNA encoding the artificial segment. The recombinant DNA can comprise a promoter for RNA Polymerase I for directing transcription of the artificial segment.

Abstract: A DNA vaccine effective for eliciting an immune response against cells that present a carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) comprises a DNA operably encoding a CEA and a DNA operably encoding a CD40 ligand, SEQ ID NO:1 and SEQ ID NO: 2, respectively, or its homotrimer, CD40LT. The DNA vaccine can be incorporated in a delivery vector such as an attenuated live bacterium or virus, or a liposome carrier. In a method embodiment, the DNA vaccine is administered orally to a mammal, such as a human, to elicit an immune response against CEA presenting cells such as colon cancer cells. A preferred method embodiment includes the additional step of treating the mammal with recombinant antibody fusion protein huKS1/4-IL2 to enhance the immune response effectiveness of the vaccine.

Abstract: A helper cell for producing an infectious, replication defective, coronavirus (or more generally nidovirus) particle cell comprises (a) a nidovirus permissive cell; (b) a nidovirus replicon RNA comprising the nidovirus packaging signal and a heterologous RNA sequence, wherein the replicon RNA further lacks a sequence encoding at least one nidovirus structural protein; and (c) at least one separate helper RNA encoding the at least one structural protein absent from the replicon RNA, the helper RNA(s) lacking the nidovirus packaging signal. The combined expression of the replicon RNA and the helper RNA in the nidovirus permissive cell produces an assembled nidovirus particle which comprises the heterologous RNA sequence, is able to infect a cell, and is unable to complete viral replication in the absence of the helper RNA due to the absence of the structural protein coding sequence in the packaged replicon.

Abstract: A series of potent and highly specific insecticidal toxins characterized by an amino acid sequences SEQ ID NO: 2-35.

Abstract: The present invention involves a recombinant virus which comprises at least one foreign nucleic acid inserted within a non-essential region of the viral genome of a virus, wherein each such foreign nucleic acid encodes a protein. The protein which is encoded is selected from the groups consisting of a feline CD28 protein or an immunogenic portion thereof, a feline cD80 protein or an immunogenic portion thereof, a feline CD86 protein or an immunogenic portion thereof, or a feline CTLA-4 protein or an immunogenic portion thereof. The protein is capable of being expressed when the recombinant virus is introduced into an appropiate host. The present invention also involves a recombinant virus further comprising a foreign nucleic acid encoding an immunogen derived from a pathogen. The present invention also comprises recombinant viruses which are capable of enhancing an immune response in a feline.

Abstract: The present invention is related to the obtaining of chimeric chains coding for proteins capable of inducing, in the recipient, a serotype-specific and protective humoral immune response against the infection by the Dengue virus, thus eliminating the effects of the serotype-nonespecific viral immunoenhancement that causes hemorrhagies and clinical complications described for this kind of pathology. These chimeric chains of nucleic acids are composed by the specific combination of fragments belonging to the gene of a mutated protein from Neisseria meningitidis with dehydrogenase activity and fragments that codify for a region of the envelope (E) protein from the Dengue virus which, when inserted to an expression vector, give rise to chimeric proteins with particular properties. The resultant chimeric molecules from this invention are applicable to the pharmaceutical industry for the obtaining of vaccine preparations and diagnostic means of high serotype-specificity to be used in humans.

Abstract: The invention is a method for the development of a platform that enables the efficient and simultaneous creation of multiple detection assays. The invention entails the use of any bacteriophage, modified to carry a reporter gene, to which any analyte-recognizing moiety is attached via the capsid. The modified bacteriophage is used to attach to the target analyte. This attachment is identified via bacteriophage amplification in a helper bacteria strain with subsequent production and detection of the reporter gene.

Abstract: An immunogenic proteoliposome containing a transmembrane protein or oligomeric complexes containing such proteins, including viral envelope glycoproteins, in a lipid membrane around an elliptoid or spherical shape. The shape preferably also contains an attractant such as streptavidin or avidin and the lipid membrane contains a moiety that binds to the attractant such as biotin. The immunogenic transmembrane protein is bound to a ligand which is anchored in the shape. Methods for making the immunogenic proteoliposomes are provided uses of the proteoliposome are described, including their use as immunogens to elicit immune reaction, and their use in screening assays, including their use as antigens to screen antibody libraries, as well as for drug screening and the identification of ligands.

Abstract: Comblike, surfactant polymers for changing the surface properties of biomaterials are provided. Such surfactant polymers comprise a polymeric backbone of repeating monomeric units having functional groups for coupling with side chains, a plurality of hydrophobic side chains linked to said backbone via the functional groups, and a plurality of hydrophilic side chains linked to said backbone via the functional groups. The hydrophobic side chains comprise an alkyl group comprising from 2 to 18 methylene groups. The alkyl groups are linked to the polymeric backbone through ester linkages, secondary amine linkages, or, preferably, amide linkages.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a screening method of a new integrase inhibitor being able to inhibit an HIV infection before the reverse transcription step and having a pharmaceutical site of action totally different from those of traditional integrase inhibitors, a new integrase inhibitor being obtainable by the screening method, and pharmaceutical constituents containing the integrase inhibitor and DNA encoding the integrase inhibitor being greatly expected as new remedies for AIDS. A peptide which specifically binds to a peptide at N-terminal domain of retroviral integrase was screened by phage display method, and as a result of the screening, a peptide being able to inhibit the infection and the proliferation of retroviruses such as HIV-1 before the reverse transcription reaction is obtained.

Abstract: The invention relates to novel compounds comprising a ubiquitination recognition element and a protein binding element. The invention also relates to the use of said compounds for modulating the level and/or activity of a target protein. The compounds are useful for the treatment of disease such as infections, inflammatory conditions, cancer and genetic diseases. The compounds are also useful as insecticides and herbicides.