Abstract: Inflammatory diseases in the CNS can be treated or alleviated by the administration of an oligonucleotide in an amount sufficient to reduce the influx of mononuclear cells to the central nervous system by down-regulating the expression of at least one cell surface marker. For example multiple sclerosis can be treated or at least alleviated, by the administration of an oligonucleotide in a dose effective to inhibit or reduce the influx of mononuclear and/or autoaggressive cells to the central nervous system. The oligonucleotide can be used alone, or in combination with other treatment strategies.

Abstract: Inflammatory diseases in the CNS can be treated or alleviated by the administration of an oligonucleotide in an amount sufficient to reduce the influx of mononuclear cells to the central nervous system by down-regulating the expression of at least one cell surface marker. For example multiple sclerosis can be treated or at least alleviated, by the administration of an oligonucleotide in a dose effective to inhibit or reduce the influx of mononuclear and/or autoaggressive cells to the central nervous system. The oligonucleotide can be used alone, or in combination with other treatment strategies.

Abstract: A test kit for selecting a therapy for a steroid resistant patient presenting inflammatory symptoms comprises primer pairs or antibodies specific for at least one marker gene or protein translated from at least one marker gene, and instructions for use. The primer pairs or antibodies enable analysis of expression level of the at least one marker gene or translated protein from the at least one marker gene.

Abstract: Inflammatory diseases in the CNS can be treated or alleviated by the administration of an oligonucleotide in an amount sufficient to reduce the influx of mononuclear cells to the central nervous system by down-regulating the expression of at least one cell surface marker. For example multiple sclerosis can be treated or at least alleviated, by the administration of an oligonucleotide in a dose effective to inhibit or reduce the influx of mononuclear and/or autoaggressive cells to the central nervous system. The oligonucleotide can be used alone, or in combination with other treatment strategies.

Abstract: The invention concerns an in vitro method for selecting the therapy for a steroid resistant patient, wherein the method comprises isolating cells from a sample taken from said patient; cultivating said isolated cells in the presence of a steroid, an immunomodulatory oligonucleotide or a mixture thereof; determining an expression level of at least one marker gene in said isolated cells; and comparing said expression level of said at least one marker gene to a value obtained from the cultivation of cells from a healthy person in the presence of a steroid, an immunomodulatory oligonucleotide or a mixture thereof, or to a normalized value obtained from a healthy population. Examples of marker genes are CD163, Tsp1, IL1-R2, TLR2, TLR4, MKP-1 and TXK.

Abstract: Inflammatory diseases in the CNS can be treated or alleviated by the administration of an oligonucleotide in an amount sufficient to reduce the influx of mononuclear cells to the central nervous system by down-regulating the expression of at least one cell surface marker. For example multiple sclerosis can be treated or at least alleviated, by the administration of an oligonucleotide in a dose effective to inhibit or reduce the influx of mononuclear and/or autoaggressive cells to the central nervous system. The oligonucleotide can be used alone, or in combination with other treatment strategies.

Abstract: A quantification of the expression levels of a number of specific genes and their corresponding proteins can be utilized in accurately determining, using samples from faeces or blood, whether the patient is suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and in a follow up analysis using a biopsy, determine if the same patient is afflicted with ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn's disease (CD). The method also has utility in determining the severity of the disease, as well as observing a patient's response to treatment.

Abstract: The invention concerns an in vitro method for selecting the therapy for a steroid resistant patient, wherein the method comprises isolating cells from a sample taken from said patient; cultivating said isolated cells in the presence of a steroid, an immunomodulatory oligonucleotide or a mixture thereof; determining an expression level of at least one marker gene in said isolated cells; and comparing said expression level of said at least one marker gene to a value obtained from the cultivation of cells from a healthy person in the presence of a steroid, an immunomodulatory oligonucleotide or a mixture thereof, or to a normalized value obtained from a healthy population. Examples of marker genes are CD163, Tsp1, IL1-R2, TLR2, TLR4, MKP-1 and TXK.