Abstract: The invention is directed to a method to test a subject having, or at risk for having, atherosclerosis, the method comprising obtaining peripheral blood cells, particularly mononuclear cells, from the subject and assaying the cells for gene expression of one or more components of the STING (stimulator of interferon genes) pathway relative to an appropriate baseline control. The invention is also directed to a composition comprising a peripheral blood cell that is co-stained for a marker that is specific for the peripheral blood cell and for a marker that is specific for gene expression of a component of the STING pathway, the peripheral blood cell being derived from a subject having or at risk for having atherosclerosis. Peripheral blood cells include B lymphocytes, T lymphocytes, monocytes and natural killer cells. Specific subsets of lymphocytes include CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes.

Abstract: A method of treating a subject having a deficient immune response is described. The method includes administering a therapeutically effective amount of non-immune drug, or an analog or metabolite thereof, known to induce one or more autoimmune syndromes to the subject. Drugs known to induce one or more autoimmune syndromes, such as lupus-like syndromes, include immune checkpoint inhibitor blockers. Methods of identifying drugs capable of enhancing immunity are also described.

Abstract: The invention relates to compositions and methods useful for enhancing hair growth and promoting skin regeneration. Particularly, the invention provides topical compositions including trimebutine, salts, or active metabolites thereof, for enhancing or inducing hair growth and promoting skin regeneration. Compositions comprising trimebutine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or active metabolite thereof and their use in the method of promoting hair growth or skin regeneration. Preferably trimebutine is trimebutine maleate or N-desmethyl trimebutine. Compositions are preferably in a form for topical administration, such as a gel.

Abstract: A method of treating a subject having a deficient immune response is described. The method includes administering a therapeutically effective amount of non-immune drug, or an analog or metabolite thereof, known to induce one or more autoimmune syndromes to the subject. Drugs known to induce one or more autoimmune syndromes, such as lupus-like syndromes, include immune checkpoint inhibitor blockers. Methods of identifying drugs capable of enhancing immunity are also described.

Abstract: The invention relates to compositions and methods useful for enhancing hair growth and promoting skin regeneration. Particularly, the invention provides topical compositions including trimebutine, salts, or active metabolites thereof, for enhancing or inducing hair growth and promoting skin regeneration. Compositions comprising trimebutine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or active metabolite thereof and their use in the method of promoting hair growth or skin regeneration. Preferably trimebutine is trimebutine maleate or N-desmethyl trimebutine. Compositions are preferably in a form for topical administration, such as a gel.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for enhancing the transplantation of hematopoietic cells to supplement or fully reconstitute the hematopoietic system, such as in myeloablated patients or patients otherwise deficient in hematopoietic cells. The method involves administering CD34+ cells having enhanced expression of one or more of AML-1, MYSM1, Hif1a, Profilin-1, phospho-GSK-3beta, SKP2, cbx7, Bmi-1, TCF1, Musashi-2, or FLI1 at levels that provide desirable therapeutically effective amounts of self-renewal of the administered cells and desirable therapeutically effective amounts of differentiation of the administered cells into the various progeny cells of the hematopoietic system (i.e., therapeutically effective amounts of hematopoietic reconstitution). To provide such cells to a subject, the invention relates to detecting such cells prior to or during treatment to ascertain whether such cells are present in clinically-relevant amounts.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method to establish a biologically significant association of gene expression levels among two or more genes, the method comprising assaying a sample for expression levels of two or more genes and identifying statistically-significant associations using a correlation coefficient in the range of about 0.6 to about 1.0, wherein a correlation coefficient in that range signifies a biologically significant correlation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for enhancing the transplantation of hematopoietic cells to supplement or fully reconstitute the hematopoietic system, such as in myeloablated patients or patients otherwise deficient in hematopoietic cells. The method involves administering CD34+ cells having enhanced expression of one or more of Musashi-2, PTEN, phospho-GSK-3?, Mcl-1, Atg7, phospho-Akt(ser473), HoxB4, Bmi-1, UBC13, phospho-Akt(thr308), GATA2, cMyc, and E47 at levels that provide desirable therapeutically effective amounts of self-renewal of the administered cells and desirable therapeutically effective amounts of differentiation of the administered cells into the various progeny cells of the hematopoietic system (i.e., therapeutically effective amounts of hematopoietic reconstitution). To provide such cells to a subject, the invention relates to detecting such cells prior to or during treatment to ascertain whether such cells are present in clinically-relevant amounts.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method to establish a biologically significant association of gene expression levels among two or more genes, the method comprising assaying a sample for expression levels of two or more genes and identifying statistically-significant associations using a correlation coefficient in the range of about 0.6 to about 1.0, wherein a correlation coefficient in that range signifies a biologically significant correlation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for enhancing the transplantation of hematopoietic cells to supplement or fully reconstitute the hematopoietic system. The method involves administering cells expressing CD34 and co-expressing HoxB4, wherein the HoxB4 is expressed at levels that provide therapeutically effective amounts of self-renewal of the administered cells. The method also involves administering cells expressing CD34 but not co-expressing HoxB4 or co-expressing HoxB4 in amounts so as to provide therapeutically effective amounts of differentiation of the administered cells into the various progeny cells of the hematopoietic system. To provide such cells to a subject, the invention relates to detecting such cells prior to treatment to ascertain whether such cells are present in clinically relevant amounts.

Abstract: Disclosed are enriched preparations of neuroblastoma tumor initiating cells (NB TICs). The NB TICs are capable of self-renewal, initiating neuroblastoma tumor growth in vivo and are capable of being passaged in high frequency. These NB TICs have chromosomal abnormalities and are capable of giving rise to secondary tumor spheres. Methods are also disclosed for preparing the enriched preparations of NB TICs, such as from neuroblastoma tumor tissue and metastasized bone marrow. Also disclosed are methods of screening candidate substances to identify therapeutic agents for the treatment of neuroblastoma. Methods are also provided for screening a sample for neuroblastoma, as well as for screening a sample to identify the stage of neuroblastoma present. Kits are also provided for selecting appropriate anti-neuroblastoma compounds for a patient, and utilize isolated compositions of the patients' neuroblastoma tumor initiating cells. In this manner, a customized medicinal profile for the patient may be devised.

Abstract: Disclosed are enriched preparations of neuroblastoma tumor initiating cells (NB TICs). The NB TICs are capable of self-renewal, initiating neuroblastoma tumor growth in vivo and are capable of being passaged in high frequency. These NB TICs have chromosomal abnormalities and are capable of giving rise to secondary tumor spheres. Methods are also disclosed for preparing the enriched preparations of NB TICs, such as from neuroblastoma tumor tissue and metastasized bone marrow. Also disclosed are methods of screening candidate substances to identify therapeutic agents for the treatment of neuroblastoma. Methods are also provided for screening a sample for neuroblastoma, as well as for screening a sample to identify the stage of neuroblastoma present. Kits are also provided for selecting appropriate anti-neuroblastoma compounds for a patient, and utilize isolated compositions of the patients' neuroblastoma tumor initiating cells. In this manner, a customized medicinal profile for the patient may be devised.

Abstract: Disclosed are neuroblastoma tumor-initiating cell inhibiting compositions comprising chemical entities capable of affecting neuroblastoma tumor-initiating cells. Pharmaceutical preparations that include these chemical entities are also provided for the treatment of neuroblastoma. These pharmaceutical preparations are suitable for the treatment of humans, and are particularly suited for the treatment of children of 12 years of age or younger having neuroblastoma. The compositions and pharmaceutical preparations posses reduced normal cell cytotoxicity. The compositions and pharmaceutical preparations may be used alone or together with other conventional neuroblastoma preparations as part of a clinical regimen in the treatment and management of neuroblastoma.

Abstract: Disclosed are enriched preparations of neuroblastoma tumor initiating cells (NB TICs). The NB TICs are capable of self-renewal, initiating neuroblastoma tumor growth in vivo and are capable of being passaged in high frequency. These NB TICs have chromosomal abnormalities and are capable of giving rise to secondary tumor spheres. Methods are also disclosed for preparing the enriched preparations of NB TICs, such as from neuroblastoma tumor tissue and metastasized bone marrow. Also disclosed are methods of screening candidate substances to identify therapeutic agents for the treatment of neuroblastoma. Methods are also provided for screening a sample for neuroblastoma, as well as for screening a sample to identify the stage of neuroblastoma present. Kits are also provided for selecting appropriate anti-neuroblastoma compounds for a patient, and utilize isolated compositions of the patients' neuroblastoma tumor initiating cells. In this manner, a customized medicinal profile for the patient may be devised.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of staining cells for flow cytometry, using catalyzed reporter deposition and amplification staining. A catalyzed reporter deposition or an analyte dependent enzyme activation system is described for detecting and/or quantitating an analyte of interest in or on a cell by flow cytometry. Also described are compositions for use in catalyzed reporter deposition methods that can be used to reduce background staining, and thereby enhance peak signal separation between histograms obtained from cells stained with control immunoglobulin versus cells stained with immunoglobulin specific for an analyte of interest, in catalyzed deposition methods.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of staining cells for flow cytometry, using catalyzed reporter deposition and amplification staining. A catalyzed reporter deposition or an analyte dependent enzyme activation system is described for detecting and/or quantitating an analyte of interest in or on a cell by flow cytometry. Also described are compositions for use in catalyzed reporter deposition methods that can be used to reduce background staining, and thereby enhance peak signal separation between histograms obtained from cells stained with control immunoglobulin versus cells stained with immunoglobulin specific for an analyte of interest, in catalyzed deposition methods.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of staining cells for flow cytometry, using catalyzed reporter deposition and amplification staining. A catalyzed reporter deposition or an analyte dependent enzyme activation system is described for detecting and/or quantitating an analyte of interest in a cell by flow cytometry. Also described are compositions for use in catalyzed reporter deposition methods that can be used to reduce background staining, and thereby enhance peak signal separation between histograms obtained from cells stained with control immunoglobulin versus cells stained with immunoglobulin specific for an analyte of interest, in catalyzed deposition methods.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of tyramide coating live cells for flow cytometry, using catalyzed reporter deposition and serial amplification staining. A catalyzed reporter deposition or an analyte dependent enzyme activation system is described for detecting and/or quantitating an analyte of interest on the surface of a cell by flow cytometry. Also described is a method for serial amplification staining by tyramide coating cells which possess an analyte of interest or a solid phase to which an analyte is bound.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of tyramide coating cells or particles for physical separation, using catalyzed reporter deposition and serial amplification staining. A catalyzed reporter deposition or an analyte dependent enzyme activation system is described for detecting and/or quantitating an analyte of interest on the surface of a cell by physical separation. Also described is a method for serial amplification staining by tyramide coating cells or particles which possess an analyte of interest or a solid phase to which an analyte is bound.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a complex comprising nerve growth factor (NGF) and trk-proto-oncogene protein. The present invention also relates to methods for detecting the presence of NGF and trk-proto-oncogene receptor. The present invention further relates to methods that can be used in diagnostics and therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Huntington's by detecting NGF-trk receptor pairs and the phosphorylation of trk protein.