Abstract: A pharmaceutical composition which comprises the c-kit ligand (KL) purified by applicants or produced by applicants' recombinant methods in combination with other hematopoietic factors and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier is provided as well as methods of treating patients which comprise administering to the patient the pharmaceutical composition of this invention. This invention provides combination therapies using c-kit ligand (KL) and a purified c-kit ligand (KL) polypeptide, or a soluble fragment thereof and other hematopoietic factors. It also provides methods and compositions for ex-vivo use of KL alone or in combination therapy. A mutated KL antagonist is also described. Such an antagonist may also be a small molecule. Antisense nucleic acids to KL as therapeutics are also described. Lastly, compositions and methods are described that take advantage of the role of KL in germ cells, mast cells and melanocytes.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel human cytokine termed Oncoinhibin. The protein Oncoinhibin is secreted by human erythroblastoid cells, has a molecular weight of approximately 28 kDa and exerts diverse neoplastic activity. The present invention also provides a method for treating neoplastic cells using human Oncoinhibin and a pharmaceutical composition comprised essentially of Oncoinhibin.

Abstract: An activator of the Rse receptor protein tyrosine kinase has been identified which is encoded by growth arrest-specific gene 6 (gas6). Accordingly, the present invention provides a method of activating the Rse receptor by exposing a cell comprising the Rse receptor to exogenous gas6 polypeptide. Moreover, the present invention is directed to a method for enhancing the survival, proliferation or differentiation of a cell comprising a Rse receptor by exposing the cell to exogenous gas6 polypeptide. The types of cells which can be treated according to the method include glial cells such as Schwann cells.

Abstract: The invention concerns hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) variants that compise an amino acid alteration at a site within the protease domain of HGF and retaining substantially full receptor binding affinity of the corresponding wild-type HGF.

Abstract: Insulin-like Growth Factor II (IGF-II) analogues in which at least one of R37 and R38 is replaced with another amino acid residue, the most preferred being IGF-II R37Q R38Q, can readily be produced in E. coli, unlike natural IGF-II, which is cleaved on secretion. The analogues retain activity on the type I and type II IGF receptors but have lower affinity for the insulin receptor; they are therefore more specific in their action.

Abstract: Disclosed are therapeutic treatment methods, compositions and devices for maintaining liver function in a mammal, including methods, compositions and devices for regenerating lost or damaged hepatic tisse, enhancing viability and integration of hepatic tissue and organ transplants, and correcting liver function deficiencies. The methods, compositions and devices on this invention all provide a therapeutically effective morphogen concentration to the hepatic cells to be treated.

Abstract: The present invention provides therapeutic methods for treatment of conditions including the neutralization of the anti-coagulant activity of heparin, inhibition of angiogenesis, tumor and endothelial cell proliferation, and treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases by administration of bactericidal/permeability-increasing (BPI) protein products.

Abstract: A tissue culture screening system to monitor a transcriptional response treated by a chemical signal interacting with a plasma membrane receptor is provided. The tissue culture screening system includes a cell line containing a membrane receptor, a target gene and a specific receptor selected from the group consisting of a steroid receptor, a vitamin receptor and an orphan receptor. The specific receptor regulates transcription of the target gene. Any of the target gene membrane receptor or specific receptor can be introduced into the cell by an expression vector. In addition to the screening system there is also provided assays for identifying test compounds and chemical signals that regulate transcription or are potential agonist or antagonist neurotransmitters or which regulate indirectly by a membrane receptor binding or regulate transcription in the absence of a steroid, vitamin or orphan ligand. There is further provided kits for the assays.

Abstract: A method for extracellularly producing an ectoprotein of hepatitis C virus comprises the steps of cultivating a transformant which is transformed with an expression vector containing a DNA fragment coding for the ectoprotein of hepatitis C virus and recovering the ectoprotein of hepatitis C virus extracellularly produced by the transformant. The protein originated from the E1 region prepared by the method can be used as a material for preparing a vaccine for preventing HCV infection. In addition, a diagnostic agent containing the protein is useful for the detection of an HCV antibody or the confirmation of the presence thereof in sera or the like. In other words, the protein of the present invention permits the diagnosis of C type hepatitis in high specificity and sensitivity.

Abstract: A novel taste cell specific guanine nucleotide binding protein, gustducin, is disclosed as well as polynucleotide sequences encoding the .alpha. subunit of gustducin. Also disclosed are methods of modifying taste involving agents that inhibit or activate the gustducin .alpha. subunit, methods for identifying such taste modifying agents and various taste modifying agents.

Abstract: Disclosed are 1) osteogenic devices comprising a matrix containing osteogenic protein and methods of inducing endochondral bone growth in mammals using the devices; 2) amino acid sequence data, amino acid composition, solubility properties, structural features, homologies and various other data characterizing osteogenic proteins, 3) methods of producing osteogenic proteins using recombinant DNA technology, and 4) osteogenically and chondrogenically active synthetic protein constructs.

Abstract: An isolated hTFIIIA gene having a nucleotide sequence coding for the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, as disclosed, and in particular the hTFIIIA gene having the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2. The gene can be used to express a corresponding hTFIIIA protein. The gene and protein serve as transcription regulating factors, and are useful in the diagnosis or identification of hereditary disease, such as cancer or other diseases resulting from abnormal transcriptional control and, further, in analyzing the mechanisms of action thereof.

Abstract: The immunosuppressive drug of the present invention can suppress both delayed-type hypersensitivity and antibody production against specific antigens and graft tissues and induce immunological tolerance to them by several administrations, instead of long continuous administration.Cysteine protease, a secretory protein accumulated in the tissue of parasitic helminths, is extracted and purified. The cysteine protease is administered to a mammal and then tissue is implanted to the mammal. The immune response of the mammal against the tissue implant is suppressed even one year later.

Abstract: Peptides of 10 to 40 or more amino acid residues in length and having the sequence X.sub.3 X.sub.4 X.sub.5 GPX.sub.6 TWX.sub.7 X.sub.8 (SEQ ID NO:252) where each amino acid is indicated by standard one letter abbreviation; X.sub.3 is C; X.sub.4 is R, H, L, or W; X.sub.5 is M, F, or I; X.sub.6 is independently selected from any one of the 20 genetically coded L-amino acids; X.sub.7 is D, E, I, L, or V; and X.sub.8 is C, which bind and activate the erythropoietin receptor (EPO-R) or otherwise act as an EPO agonist, and methods for their use.

Abstract: Purification of human FSH from post-menopausal urine gonadogropin using immunochromatography and reverse phase HPLC steps yelds a biologically active hormone which is free from detectable traces of LH and other urinary proteins.

Abstract: Diagnostic systems, methods, polypeptides and antibodies for detecting the presence of C-terminal hGPIIb fragment of the platelet receptor GPIIb-IIIa in a body fluid sample are disclosed.

Abstract: A human gene has been discovered which is genetically altered in human tumor cells. The genetic alteration is gene amplification and leads to a corresponding increase in gene products. Detecting that the gene, designated hMDM2, has become amplified or detecting increased expression of gene products is diagnostic of tumorigenesis. Human MDM2 protein binds to human p53 and allows the cell to escape from p53-regulated growth.

Abstract: Recombinant methods and materials useful in producing lactoperoxidases are disclosed. An illustrative form of lactoperoxidase is the bovine protein shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 1 also shows the DNA sequence natively encoding the bovine lactoperoxidase, including contiguous regions of the gene. Such DNAs are useful in a variety of applications including antisense technology, formation of triple helices, and performance of diagnostic assays.

Abstract: A method for selecting novel proteins such as growth hormone and antibody fragment variants having altered binding properties for their respective receptor molecules is provided. The method comprises fusing a gene encoding a protein of interest to the carboxy terminal domain of the gene III coat protein of the filamentous phage M13. The gene fusion is mutated to form a library of structurally related fusion proteins that are expressed in low quantity on the surface of a phagemid particle. Biological selection and screening are employed to identify novel ligands useful as drug candidates. Disclosed are preferred phagemid expression vectors and selected human growth hormone variants.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for the production and purification of hydrophobic fusion proteins production and purification of said hydrophobic polypeptides, proteins or peptides. Homogeneous monomeric .beta.-amyloid peptide and tests for screening amyloid toxicity-inhibiting drugs using this monomeric .beta.-amyloid peptide relate to these fusion proteins.