Abstract: Heterodimer proteins comprising a soluble .alpha. specificity determining cytokine receptor component and the extracellular domain of a .beta. receptor component function as CNTF and IL-6 antagonsists.

Abstract: The present invention relates to cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) which have been converted to a helper T cell independent phenotype by introducing a recombinant expression vector encoding IL-1 receptor into the CTL. The resulting CTLs have the ability to grow or function independent of T cell help.

Abstract: An isolated DNA encoding a polypeptide substantially identical to maspin (SEQ ID NO:1); a substantially purified preparation of maspin; an antibody specific for maspin; and use of such DNAs and antibodies in diagnostic, screening, and therapeutic methods.

Abstract: A cell lysis factor which is a modified fragment of the human glucocorticoid receptor. The modified fragment designated 398-465*, when transfected into and expressed in a host cell, effects cell lysis and cell death. A pharmaceutical composition having the modified fragment 398-465* or the encoded protein product may be used in treatment of proliferative diseases.

Abstract: A modified gene coding for the human D4 dopamine receptor has been synthesized by chemo-enzymatic methods. The nucleotide sequence of the D4 dopamine receptor gene was oh:raged to reduce the G+C content and to eliminate intronic sequences, while maintaining the published amino acid sequence. Using gene splicing by overlap extension and PCR amplification of long oligonucleotides (>200 bases), 3 synthetic fragments of about 400 base pairs each were amplified, from which the full length gene was assembled. Stable expression of this gene has been achieved in CHO-K1 cells, using an inducible expression system, and in HEK293 cells.

Abstract: A cDNA clone having a base sequence for human tissue factor inhibitor (TFI) has been developed and characterized and the amino acid sequence of the TFI has been determined.

Abstract: The invention is generally directed to methods of promoting normal respiratory tract airflow in subjects with restricted airflow and ciliary clearance caused by the presence of pathological airway contents, and particularly mucoid contents. Actin-binding proteins are administered into the respiratory tract of a subject with a pathological respiratory condition involving the presence of such contents. The actin-binding protein binds to actin polymers in the contents and decreases the viscosity. The actin binding proteins also prevent actin from binding to exogenous or endogenous DNase, thus increasing the degradation of DNA polymers in the contents.

Abstract: Medicaments, and methods of identifying the same, are described that are useful for treating papillomavirus diseases that have the characteristics of preventing, interfering with, or reversing the binding of the appropriate papillomavirus proteins E1 or E2 to a nucleotide sequence homologous to a nucleotide sequence present in the papillomavirus genome, or of the formation of a complex consisting of papillomavirus proteins E1 and E2, or the binding of the complex to the nucleotide sequence.

Abstract: Disclosed are (1) a mutein of a fibroblast growth factor (FGF), the DNA having introduced therein at least one nucleotide sequence coding for a glycosylation site, (2) a DNA coding for the mutein of (1), (3) a vector containing the DNA of (2), (4) a transformant transformed with the vector of (3), and (5) a process for producing the mutein which comprises cultivating in a culture medium the transformant of a yeast or animal cell transformed with a vector of (3), and producing and accumulating the mutein of (1) in the culture medium, whereby the FGF mutein into which at least one glycosylation site has been introduced is improved in productivity, stability and activities, and advantageously used as medicine.

Abstract: Clustered antibiotic biosynthetic genes are employed for improvement of production of the antibiotic in microorganisms and for the isolation of other genes involved in the biosynthesis of the antibiotic. The invention is exemplified with improved production of penicillin in Penicillium chrysogenum, with the isolation of another clustered biosynthetic gene(s) and with the expression of penicillin biosynthetic genes in Acremonium chrysogenum.

Abstract: A process for purifying a fusion protein comprising GM-CSF and IL-3 is disclosed.

Abstract: A cDNA library is constructed using mRNA from human fibroblasts induced with poly(I):poly(C). A bacterial clone containing fibroblast interferon cDNA sequences identified by hybridization to a cDNA probe synthesized using deoxyoligonucleotide primers which hybridize to fibroblast interferon mRNA specifically. Expression plasmids are constructed which permit the synthesis in E. coli of 8.times.10.sup.7 units of human fibroblast interferon per liter of culture. The bacterially produced fibroblast interferon is indistinguishable from authentic human fibroblast interferon by several critieria.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method of inhibiting the infectivity of a virus, the virus being characterized by the presence of a heparin-binding protein, which comprises contacting the cellular receptor for the virus or the receptor-binding protein of the virus with an effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition containing the HBNF protein, the MK protein or a combination thereof in a sufficient amount to inhibit the infectivity of the virus. Also, this disclosure concerns a method of preventing or treating a viral infection in a subject, the virus being characterized by the presence of a heparin-binding protein, which comprises administering to the subject an effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition containing HBNF, MK or a combination thereof in a sufficient amount to prevent or treat the viral infection in the subject. Further, the disclosure describes a new composition comprising a combination of the HBNF and MK proteins.

Abstract: The specification describes a process for producing human proinsulin in Escherichia coli (E. coli) using gene manipulation technology. The process can provide for human proinsulin in high yields by a novel expression vector having strong regulatory elements of an insulin gene and a stable recombinant gene product. The expression vector of the present invention is characterized in that: 1) it has an 11 amino acid leader peptide containing six threonines in order to ensure an intracellular stability of proinsulin fusion protein, 2) it contains two copies of a DNA expression cassette each comprising a strong lambda P.sub.R promoter, a lac ribosome binding site, a proinsulin gene with a 17 amino acid leader peptide sequence containing a DNA sequence encoding (Thr).sub.6, and a strong fd phage transcription terminator (combination of phage fd terminator and translation stop codon), etc.

Abstract: A method for purifying an aqueous intrinsic factor solution which contains R-protein is disclosed. The method involves adding to the intrinsic factor solution an amount of colloidal silica to disperse lipid emulsion, an amount of cobinamide sufficient to bind substantially all of the R-protein in the solution and an amount of an intrinsic factor affinity resin sufficient to bind the intrinsic factor in the solution, washing the bound cobinamide and the R-protein from the resin, eluting the intrinsic factor from the resin, and dialyzing the eluted intrinsic factor. The purified intrinsic factor possesses less than 0.004 percent cross reactivity with cobinamides, and at least 95 percent of the proteins in the purified material can bind cobalamins. A conjugate of microparticles and the purified intrinsic factor is also disclosed, as is a kit for conducting an assay for cobalamins which includes a conjugate of microparticles and purified intrinsic factor.

Abstract: The invention is directed to recombinant DNA vectors and methods of use thereof. The vectors allow over-expression of proteins in bacterial host cells. The vectors contain a first gene encoding a ubiquitin fusion protein of interest and a second gene encoding a cytoplasmic peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase gene. Co-expression of the first and second genes allows over-expression of the protein of interest. In some cases the degree of solubility of the protein of interest is also increased.

Abstract: A human T cell clone containing an integrated copy of HIV in a latent state, but inducible to productive replication by an activating agent is provided. The clone of the present invention allows in vitro screening of anti-HIV drugs.

Abstract: Ala-Glu-IGF-I is a novel compound which exerts IGF-I activity and is a precursor for the preparation of IGF-I. Ala-Glu-IGF-I may by converted to IGF-I by renaturation after recombinant production in E. coli under specified conditions and then cleaving Ala-Glu from the IGF-I.

Abstract: pPTH, bPTH or hPTH is modified by deletions from the natural C- and/or N-terminus. The modified compounds are useful active ingredients in therapeutic compositions. The therapeutic compositions do not stimulate renal adenylate cyclase but, rather, effect chondrocyte proliferation, that is to say, they exhibit a mitogenic and bone-specific effect.

Abstract: There is disclosed a polypeptide (OX40-L) and DNA sequences, vectors and transformed host cells useful in providing OX40-L polypeptides. More particularly, this invention provides isolated murine OX40-L polypeptides that bind to the extracellular binding region of OX40.