Abstract: The present invention provides vaccine compositions of attenuated dengue-2 virus. More specifically, the attenuated virus is produced by serial passage in PDK cells. The invention also provides methods for stimulating the immune system of an individual to induce protection against dengue-2 virus by administration of attenuated dengue-2 virus.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved adjuvant formulation and a process for producing said adjuvant. The adjuvant comprises an ISCOM structure comprising a saponin, said ISCOM structure being devoid of additional detergent.

Abstract: Polypeptides of adeno-associated virus (AAV) that bind to AAV antibodies or block binding of AAV to mammalian cells are described. Derivatives of peptides can be less immunogenic, enhance binding to cells, render a virus tissue specific and so on. The nucleic acid sequence encoding those derivatives can be incorporated into a capsid encoding sequence to enable a virus to express such a derivative and be less immunogenic, have enhanced transduction efficiency or be tissue specific.

Abstract: Recombinant human immunodeficiency virus antigens capable of immunologically identifying the presence of early anti-HIV antibodies are stably expressed in a number of cell lines. These antigens have several clinically important applications as non-hazardous tools in the detection of human immunodeficiency virus exposure/infection, and in screening methods for HIV infection in idiopathic chronic lymphopenia (ICL). These techniques are improved over existing immunologically based and PCR based detection methods, as they provide for the detection of infection/exposure in samples determined to be negative by conventional forms of these types of assays that do not detect anti-HIV gp160 antibodies that react to conformational epitopes of HIV. The invention finds particular application in the detection of human immunodeficiency virus exposure/infection in infants.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the adaptation of infectious bursal disease viruses (IBDV) to growth in CEF cell culture. Changing the codons for amino acid residues 253 (Gln) and 284 (Ala) to 253 (His) and 284 (Thr) allowed bursa adapted Classical and Variant-E IBDV to grow in CEF cell culture. For GLS IBDV only a change of the codon for amino acid residue 284 was necessary.

Abstract: This invention provides a Togavirus-amplified retrovirus vector and a novel method for packaging a retrovirus cassette that contains a heterologous nucleic acid, which is amplified in a packaging cell cytoplasm by a Togavirus vector. The retroviral cassette is packaged into infectious retrovirus particles by retroviral packaging cells. These retroviral particles carrying the retroviral packaging cassette are then used to infect host cells.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a screening method to identify individuals at risk of developing diseases associated with different polymorphic forms of wildtype p53; which comprises the steps of: a) obtaining a biological sample from said patients; and b) determining the presence of p53pro or p53arg wildtype alleles in said sample; wherein the allele pattern of patients selected from the group consisting of p53pro/p53pro, p53arg/p53arg and p53pro/p53arg are indicative of a risk factor for developing disease associated with different polymorphic forms of wildtype p53. Notably, individuals who are p53arg/arg are at greater risk of developing pathologies associated with human papillomavirus infections, including cervical cancer.

Abstract: Peanuts are a common cause of food hypersensitivity reactions. The sera of 10 patients who had atopic dermatitis and a positive double-blind placebo-controlled food challenge to peanut were used to investigate the major allergens of peanut. Crude Florunner extracts were fractionated by anion-exchange chromatography using a step gradient (limit buffer, 0.05M BisTris/1.5M NaCl). A protein peak (OD 280) which eluted at 10% NaCl and demonstrated intense IgE-binding was further analyzed by two-dimensional SDS-PAGE/immunoblot analysis. The majority of this fraction is a protein which has a molecular weight of 17 kD and a pI of 5.2. Sequencing data from the N-terminus revealed the following initial 9 amino acids: (*)-Q-Q-(*)-E-L-Q-D-L. Based on IgE-binding activity and no known amino acid sequence identity to other allergens, this allergen is designated Ara h II. Ara h II may be used to detect and quantify peanut allergens in foodstuffs.

Abstract: Methods for detecting human parvovirus B19 in and removing it from biological samples such as blood are disclosed, together with reagents suitable for the purpose comprising binding moieties that recognize human parvovirus B19 and/or B19-like polypeptide and form a binding complex therewith. Preferred polypeptide binding moieties are particularly disclosed.

Abstract: A process of preparing a pharmaceutical composition includes the steps of: a) obtaining isolated immunoglobulins from an animal; b) contacting the isolated immunoglobulins with a bacterial Fc-binding protein; c) collecting the immunoglobulins not bound to the bacterial Fc-binding protein; and d) adding a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier to the immunoglobulins not bound to the bacterial Fc-binding protein.

Abstract: Methods for efficient production of recombinant AAV employ a host cell which comprising AAV rep and cap genes stably integrated within the cell's chromosomes, wherein the AAV rep and cap genes are each operatively linked to regulatory sequences capable of directing the expression of the rep and cap gene products upon infection of the cell with a helper virus, a helper gene, and a helper gene product. A method for producing recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) involves infecting such a host cell with a helper virus, gene or gene product and infecting the infected host cell with a recombinant hybrid virus or plasmid vector containing adenovirus cis-elements necessary for replication and virion encapsidation, AAV sequences comprising the 5′ and 3′ ITRs of an AAV, and a selected gene operatively linked to regulatory sequences directing its expression, which is flanked by the above-mentioned AAV sequences.

Abstract: A novel feline cytokine protein having the activity to enhance the cytotoxic activity of feline cytotoxic T lymphocytes, a DNA sequence coding for said protein, a recombinant DNA for expressing said protein, an expression vector comprising said recombinant DNA, a transformant which is transformed with said expression vector, a process for preparing said protein by culturing said transformant, and an antibody against said protein are provided. The novel feline cytokine protein of the present invention is a heterologous dimer comprising FLAF p35 and FLAF p40 and can be used for treating feline infectious diseases such as feline herpes virus type 1 (FHV-1) or feline calicivirus (FCV).

Abstract: A method is disclosed for increasing the efficiency of retroviral mediated gene transfer into viable target cells, which comprises transducing the target cells by infecting the target cells with a replication defective recombinant retrovirus that infects the target cells in an aqueous medium in the presence of (a) a mixture of an effective amount of a first functional material having a retrovirus binding domain that binds said retrovirus, and an effective amount of a second functional material having a target cell binding domain that binds said target cell, or (b) an effective amount of a bifunctional material having both a retroviral binding domain which does not contain the heparin binding domain derived from human fibronectin, and a target cell binding domain, wherein the bifunctional material has a retrovirus binding domain that binds to said retrovirus and a target cell binding domain that binds to the target cell.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a Vpr protein, a Vpx protein or fragments thereof which permit the development of chimeric molecules that can be specifically targeted into the mature HIV-1 and HIV-2 virions to affect their structural organization and/or functional integrity, thereby resulting in gene therapy for HIV-1 and HIV-2 infections. The present invention also relates to Vpr/Vpx protein Fragments, p6 protein, p6 protein fragment, or functional derivatives thereof which interfere with the native Vpr/Vpx incorporation into HIV-1 and HIV-2 virions. The present invention also relates to treatment of HIV-1 and HIV-2 infections based on the proteins of the present invention.

Abstract: Isolated polynucleotides and polypeptides derived from the genome of swine gamma-herpesviruses are disclosed, including recombinant cells and vectors encoding such polypeptides and expressing such polynucleotides. Use of the novel polynucleotides as probes of the swine genome is also described. Assay methods employing antibodies against the isolated polypeptides are also disclosed.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for culturing a virus including the steps of: (A) providing cells from a cell line susceptible to infection by the virus and a specimen; (B) treating the cells with a compound of formula RC(O)Q, wherein Q is R, OR, OX or X, each R is independently hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl group containing 1 to about 10 carbon atoms and wherein X is hydrogen or a cation; © inoculating the treated cells with the specimen; and (D) incubating the inoculated cells to allow viral growth to proceed.

Abstract: Attempts to generate modified viral pseudo-particles that are capable of stably incorporating heterologous antigenic determinants has encountered a number of difficulties including inhibition of pseudo-particle formation following epitope insertion and failure of the epitope to retain its native configuration. The present invention is directed toward recombinant viral pseudo-particles of the family Parvoviridae that stably encode heterologous epitopes. Hybrid virus-like particles (VLP) were prepared by self-assembly of a modified porcine parvovirus (PPV) VP2 capsid protein carrying a CD8+ or CD4+ T cell epitope in the amino terminus. Immunization of mice with hybrid pseudo-particles carrying a lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) nucleoprotein CTL epitope, without adjuvant, induced strong cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses against both peptide-coated- or virus-infected-target cells.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method to prepare an inactivated w/o emulsion adjuvated vaccine, wherein an aqueous solution comprising one or more inactivated angigens is mixed under mild conditions with a ready-made w/o emulsion. Preferably the vaccine is prepared just prior to vaccination. The aqueous solution and w/o emulsion are stirred or shaken by mechanical means or by hand. The present invention also relates to a kit of parts for use in a method according to the invention.

Abstract: This invention is directed toward methods and kits for the detection of antibodies associated with autoimmune disorders or infectious agents in an individual employing immunoretroid peptides derived from antigens associated with said disorders and agents.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a diagnostic method for the diagnosis of Pestivirus infection in animals, in particular to a method for the diagnosis of animals infected with BVDV. A monoclonal antibody directed to a conserved antigen determinant on the Pestivirus ERNS protein is provided which allows the identification of infected animals with a high sensitivity and specificity.