Abstract: Salp15, biologically functional equivalents and fragments thereof, and nucleic acid molecules encoding the same are disclosed. Recombinant host cells, recombinant nucleic acids and recombinant proteins are also disclosed. Salp15 gene products and Salp15 polypeptide fragments have biological activity in modulating CD4+ T cell activation through specific binding to CD4. Thus, therapeutic methods involving modulating T cell activation using Salp15 and biologically active polypeptide fragments thereof are also disclosed. The specific binding of Salp15 and fragment peptides thereof to CD4 can inhibit HIV infection of T cells, and thus methods of using Salp15 for inhibiting HIV infection are also disclosed. Screening methods for selecting substances having an ability to modulate activation of T cells are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method, an assay and a kit for providing an indication of abnormal cell function. It was surprisingly found that the change in the serum ADAM12 concentration in individuals was useful as a prognostic tool to predict the clinical outcome, complications and mortality following an abnormal cell function. The present inventors describes ADAM12 as a overall general marker for abnormal cell function, and the present inventor for the first time demonstrate that ADAM12 is an important indicator of fetal chromosomal disease and placenta function. Specifically ADAM12 is a good marker for e.g. Downs's syndrome, trisomy 18, preeclampsia, Turner syndrome in both first and second trimester. The present inventors developed an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a time-resolved immunofluorometric assay for the quantification of ADAM12 in serum.

Abstract: Dermal fibroblasts permanently loose their ability to synthesize elastin, the major component of elastic fibers, shortly after puberty. This progressive loss of elastic fibers cannot be replaced, resulting in the physical signs of aging. The present invention provides methods and compositions containing the polyphenols ellagic acid and/or tannic acid for protection against degradation of cutaneous elastic fibers by the elastolytic enzymes. The use of ellagic acid and/or tannic acid increased the overall deposition of elastic fibers in healthy and damaged skin cells. The protection of both intra-tropoelastin and extra-cellular mature elastic fibers from proteolytic enzymes by ellagic acid and tannic acid caused an increase in the net deposition of elastic fibers. Therefore, embodiments of the present invention provide methods and composition for the treatment of skin and prevention and treatment of degradation of dermal elastic fibers.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a dephosphorylation enzyme that regulates cardiomyocyte differentiation, dominant negative enzyme thereof, a gene encoding the enzyme protein and use thereof. A protein or the like consisting of any one of the following amino acid sequences (A) to (C) is used: (A) the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2; (B) an amino acid sequence wherein one or several amino acids except for cysteine at position 138 are deleted, substituted or added in the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, wherein a protein consisting of the amino acid sequence has a dual specificity phosphatase activity; and (C) an amino acid sequence having at least 60% or more homology to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 and having cysteine at position 138, wherein a protein consisting of the amino acid sequence has a dual specificity phosphatase activity.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a vaccine for increasing the immunogenicity of a tumor antigen thus allowing treatment of cancer, as well as a vaccine that increases the immunogenicity of a viral antigen, thus allowing treatment of viral infection, including immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. In particular, the present invention provides a fusion protein comprising a defensin fused to either a tumor antigen or viral antigen which is administered as either a protein or nucleic acid vaccine to elicit an immune response effective in treating cancer or effective in treating or preventing viral infection.

Abstract: A search of the public human genome database identified a human EST, GenBank accession number AW293249, which has high homology to known pufferfish urocortin sequences. The full length sequence was amplified from human genomic DNA and sequenced. Sequence homology comparisons of the novel sequence with human urocortin I and urocortin II revealed that the sequence encoded a novel human urocortin, which was designated urocortin III (UcnIII). While urocortin III does not have high affinity for either CRF-R1 or CRF-R2, the affinity for CRF-R2 is greater than the affinity for CRF-R1. Urocortin III is capable stimulating cyclic AMP production in cells expressing CRF-R2? or ?. Thus, the affinity is high enough that urocortin III could act as a native agonist of CRF-R2. However, it is also likely that urocortin III is a stronger agonist of a yet to be identified receptor.

Abstract: The present invention relates to polypeptides having antimicrobial activity and polynucleotides having a nucleotide sequence which encodes for the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the nucleic acid constructs as well as methods for producing and using the polypeptides.

Abstract: The invention concerns a cell support comprising an RGD-enriched gelatine that has a more even distribution of RGD sequences than occurring in a natural gelatine and with a minimum level of RGD sequences. More precise the percentage of RGD sequences related to the total number of amino acids is at least 0.4 and if the RGD-enriched gelatine comprises 350 amino acids or more, each stretch of 350 amino acids contains at least one RGD motif. Preferably the RGD-enriched gelatines are prepared by recombinant technology, and have a sequence that is derived from a human gelatine or collagen amino acid sequence. The invention also relates to RGD-enriched gelatines that are used for attachment to integrins. In particular The RGD-enriched gelatines of the invention are suitable for coating a cell culture support for growing anchor-dependant cell types.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel selection marker vectors, and methods for using these vectors to generate stable gene expression systems in eukaryotic cells utilizing any enzyme useful in the eukaryotic sterol/cholesterol biosynthetic pathway, such as a 3-ketosteroid reductase, as a metabolic selection marker to select transfected cells. In one embodiment, the method comprises transfecting cells that are auxotrophic for cholesterol with a vector encoding 3-ketosteroid reductase and at least one heterologous protein, and selecting cells that have the ability to survive in medium lacking cholesterol and/or producing the heterologous protein in these cells in chemically defined and/or serum-free media.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the therapeutic and prophylactic use of C1 inhibitor for preventing, reducing and treating ischemia and reperfusion injury. The C1 inhibitor of the present invention is still therapeutically effective when administered after an ischemic period and reperfusion and therefore particularly useful for unforeseen occurrences of ischemic reperfusion such as e.g. a stroke.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for targeted modification of chromatin structure, within a region of interest in cellular chromatin, are provided. Such methods and compositions are useful for facilitating processes such as, for example, transcription and recombination, that require access of exogenous molecules to chromosomal DNA sequences.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of expressing an objective protein at a high level and stably as well as for a long period even in the absence of a selection drug with a recombinant mammal cell. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of producing an objective protein by providing a recombinant mammal cell having multiple copies of the exogenous objective protein gene expression unit integrated into a hypoxanthine-phosphoribosyl transferase enzyme (hprt) gene locus and culturing said cell.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for modulating activity of store-operated calcium entry in cells or tissues are provided. The compositions comprise the P311 protein, fused to a cell-penetrating peptide and formulated for delivery to tissues and cells. This protein has been shown to increase the levels of store-operated calcium entry (SOCE) in gingival cells, skeletal muscle cells, and prostate epithelial cells. Also provided are methods for preventing and treating diseases that involve administration of the P311 fusion protein, as well as methods for increasing levels of SOCE in cells.

Abstract: Presenilin Associated Membrane Protein (PAMP), and nucleic acids encoding this protein, are provided. PAMP and PAMP nucleic acids provide diagnostic and therapeutic tools for evaluating and treating or preventing neurodegenerative diseases. In a specific embodiment, mutations in PAMP are diagnostic for Alzheimer's Disease or spina bifida. The invention further relates to screening, particularly using high-throughput screens and transgenic animal models, for compounds that modulate the activity of PAMP and presenilins. Such compounds, or gene therapy with PAMP, can be used in treating neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer's Disease. In addition, the invention provides PAMP mutants, nucleic acids encoding for PAMP mutants, and transgenic animals expressing PAMP mutants, which in a preferred aspect result in biochemical changes similar to those induced by mutations in ?APP, PS1, or PS2, associated with familial Alzheimer's disease.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and compositions for the treatment and diagnosis of diseases such as neoplastic diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, autoimmune diseases, and inflammatory diseases. The methods are based on the concept of pretargeting and include the administration of complexes comprising a recognizable compound A coupled to annexins, and the administration of complexes comprising of pharmaceutical or diagnostic compounds coupled to a compound B recognizing and binding to compound A to subjects. The compositions include annexins, annexin variants, that are not internalized by the target cells, derivatives thereof, and complexes thereof.

Abstract: A single chain, polypeptide fusion protein, comprising: a non-cytotoxic protease, or a fragment thereof, which protease or protease fragment is capable of cleaving a protein of the exocytic fusion apparatus of a nociceptive sensory afferent; a Targeting Moiety that is capable of binding to a Binding Site on the nociceptive sensory afferent, which Binding Site is capable of undergoing endocytosis to be incorporated into an endosome within the nociceptive sensory afferent; a protease cleavage site at which site the fusion protein is cleavable by a protease, wherein the protease cleavage site is located between the non-cytotoxic protease or fragment thereof and the Targeting Moiety; and a translocation domain that is capable of translocating the protease or protease fragment from within an endosome, across the endosomal membrane and into the cytosol of the nociceptive sensory afferent. Nucleic acid sequences encoding the polypeptide fusion proteins, methods of preparing same and uses thereof are also described.

Abstract: The invention provides FIAT nucleic acids and proteins, and methods of using such nucleic acids and proteins.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a polypeptide termed ply_pitti26 comprising the sequence as depicted in SEQ ID NO:1 as well as variants of this polypeptide. Furthermore, the present invention relates to nucleic acids and vectors encoding for said polypeptide and variants thereof as well as host cells comprising these nucleic acids and/or vectors. Finally, the present invention relates to the uses of said polypeptide, variants thereof, nucleic acid sequences, vectors and host cells, in particular for the treatment or prophylaxis of a subject infected by or exposed to Staphylococci.

Abstract: The invention is directed to isolated genomic polynucleotide fragments that encode human resistin and human syntaxin binding protein 2, vectors and hosts containing these fragments and fragments hybridizing to noncoding regions as well as antisense oligonucleotides to these fragments. The invention is further directed to methods of using these fragments to obtain human resistin and human syntaxin binding protein 2 and to diagnose, treat, prevent and/or ameliorate a pathological disorder.

Abstract: We add discontinuous regions of Extra Cellular Matrix (ECM) to a biodegradable scaffold. Hereby it is possible to combine the range of physical properties the scaffold can offer with the reconstructive properties of the ECM. The optimal amount of discrete ECM material for each application is disclosed and this concentration is equally distributed in the dressing hence avoiding unnecessary high concentrations of ECM. In addition to the effect of the ECM, the porous structure of the base material provides the cells with a structure for in-growth.