Abstract: Pharmaceutical compositions suitable for oral administration comprising paclitaxel, a solvent, a surfactant, a substituted cellulosic polymer, and optionally but preferably a P-glycoprotein inhibitor. The composition may further comprise a diglyceride or mixture of diglyceride and monoglyceride. The composition generates a supersaturated paclitaxel microemulsion upon contact with water resulting in improved oral bioavailability of paclitaxel.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods and compositions which utilize the emission of light to monitor changes in microenvironments involving cells. The invention is especially useful for monitoring exocytotic activity such as detecting quantal release of synaptic vesicles. Fusion proteins of Cypridina luciferase and synaptotagmin-I or VAMP/synaptobrevin-2 were targeted to synaptic vesicles and, upon exocytosis, formed light-emitting complexes with luciferin present in the extracellular medium. Photon emissions in the presence of a depolarizing stimulus can be observed with these systems. pH-sensitive mutants of green fluorescent protein are also provided, which are useful for visualizing exocytosis and for imaging and measuring the pH of intracellular compartments.

Abstract: There is provided a peptide that is capable of binding to an MHC class I or II molecule without further processing (i.e., an apitope), which comprises a portion of the region 131-158 of myelin basic protein. In particular, there is provided an apitope which is selected from the following myelin basic protein peptides: 134-148, 135-149, 136-150, 137-151, 138-152, 139-153, 140-154. There is also provided the use of such a peptide in a pharmaceutical composition and a method to treat and/or prevent a disease using such a peptide.

Abstract: mmFP encoding nucleic acids, polypeptides and antibodies immunologically specific therefor are disclosed. Methods of use thereof are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to compositions of matter useful for the enhancement of apoptosis in mammals and to methods of using those compositions of matter for the same.

Abstract: The methods and compositions of the present invention find use in impacting microbial pathogens and in enhancing disease resistance to pathogens, particularly by plants. The compositions of the invention include polypeptides that possess antimicrobial properties, particularly fungicidal properties, and the encoding nucleic acid molecules. The polypeptides of the invention are isolated from the hemolymph and fat bodies of insect larvae induced by injection of plant pathogenic fungi. Further provided are plant cells, plants, and seed thereof, transformed with the nucleic acid molecules of the invention so as to confer disease resistance on the plant.

Abstract: The invention provides polypeptides that can inhibit the activity of matrix metalloproteinases. Such polypeptides are useful for treating wounds, for example, chronic wounds.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of producing useful materials from filament-forming ?-helical proteins or filaments made of such proteins. The method comprises allowing filament-forming ?-helical proteins to self-assemble into ?-helix containing filaments and forming fibres, films or bulk materials from the filaments. The materials are stretched to strain the filaments so that the ?-helices substantially irreversibly change to ?-sheet forms. The filament-forming ?-helical proteins can comprise intermediate filament proteins. In a specific embodiment, the filament-forming proteins comprise hagfish slime thread IF proteins.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for secreting large heterologous polypeptides are described.

Abstract: A serine protease inhibitor, characterized by having a domain with four cysteines, and a sequence of 0 to 20 amino acids is present between the first and second cysteines, or the serine protease inhibitor has a domain with six cysteines, and a sequence of 7 to 20 amino acids is present between the first and second cysteines.

Abstract: A method for producing a protein using a cell-free protein synthesis system comprising a detergent so that the protein can be synthesized without aggregation, is provided. The protein is a protein comprising a hydrophobic region in at least a portion thereof, for example, a membrane protein or its fragment (portion). And the detergent is a mild detergent which would not denature the protein, for example, a nonionic or amphoteric ionic detergent.

Abstract: The present invention provides an antifreeze protein, wherein thermal hysteresis activity and ice recrystallization inhibitory activity are artificially improved. The antifreeze protein is multimerized using a polypeptide linker to improve the thermal hysteresis and ice nuclei growth inhibitory effects in low concentrations.

Abstract: Compositions comprising non-naturally occurring fibrinogen binding moieties are described, together with methods of use thereof, e.g., for detecting or isolating fibrinogen molecules in a solution, for blood circulation imaging, and for linking therapeutics or other molecules to fibrinogen. Preferred binding peptides having a high affinity for fibrinogen are particularly disclosed.

Abstract: New therapeutic uses for BPI protein products that involve treatment of subjects with a BPI deficiency condition, including selective BPI deficiency, and newborns, including BPI-deficient newborns.

Abstract: Methods of identifying insulin response modulators are provided. Therapeutic methods utilizing compounds identified according to the methods of the invention are also provided. In particular, methods of treating diabetes and insulin resistance are provided.

Abstract: There is provided a protease inhibitor and a method of inhibiting a protease selected from the group consisting of thrombin, chymotrypsin and neuropsin, by contacting the protease with an effective amount of a member of the phosphoethanolamine binding protein (PEBP) family.

Abstract: The invention resides in part in the discovery that G proteins other than G?15 couples to T1R and T2R taste receptors, particularly Gi proteins such as G?i. Related to this discovery, the invention provides cell-based assay methods for identifying compounds that modulate the activity of specific T1R or T2R taste receptors or which modulate the effect of other T1R or T2R modulators on T1R or T2R activity. These assay methods preferably detect the effect of a putative T1R or T2R modulator compound on MAPK activation, cAMP accumulation, or adenylyl cyclase activity or another signaling pathway regulated by Gi proteins. The level of MAPK activation, cAMP accumulation or adenylyl cyclase is preferably determined by immunoassay methods that use ligands (monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies) that specifically bind an activated (phosphorylated) MAPK, cAMP, or adenylyl cyclase.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods for producing recombinant human zona pellucida protein (“rhZP3”) and glycosylated peptide having biological activity of binding to human spermatozoa. A human ovarian cell line is used to produce rhZP3 having a glycosylation pattern required for full biological activity. Methods of determining useful peptides with binding activity for human sperm and their syntheses, as well as using such peptides and proteins in therapeutics and diagnostics are discussed.

Abstract: The invention concerns GENSET polynucleotides and polypeptides. Such GENSET products may be used as reagents in forensic analyses, as chromosome markers, as tissue/cell/organelle-specific markers, in the production of expression vectors. In addition, they may be used in screening and diagnosis assays for abnormal GENSET expression and/or biological activity and for screening compounds that may be used in the treatment of GENSET-related disorders.

Abstract: The invention relates to a Kunitz domain peptide, designated DPI-14 herein, for inhibiting human neutrophil elastase. The invention also relates to a method of using a DPI-14 for treating cystic fibrosis or cystic fibrosis-related disease or disorder.