Abstract: The invention relates to a method for in vitro diagnosis or prognosis of testicular cancer which comprises a step of detecting the presence or absence of at least one expression product from at least one nucleic acid sequence selected from the sequences identified in SEQ ID NOS: 1 to 6 or from the sequences which exhibit at least 99% identity with one of the sequences identified in SEQ ID NOS: 1 to 6, to isolated nucleic acid sequences and to the use thereof as a testicular cancer marker.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for in vitro diagnosis or prognosis of testicular cancer which comprises a step of detecting the presence or absence of at least one expression product from at least one nucleic acid sequence selected from the sequences identified in SEQ ID NOS: 1 to 6 or from the sequences which exhibit at least 99% identity with one of the sequences identified in SEQ ID NOS: 1 to 6, to isolated nucleic acid sequences and to the use thereof as a testicular cancer marker.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for in vitro diagnosis or prognosis of testicular cancer which comprises a step of detecting the presence or absence of at least one expression product from at least one nucleic acid sequence selected from the sequences identified in SEQ ID NOS: 1 to 6 or from the sequences which exhibit at least 99% identity with one of the sequences identified in SEQ ID NOS: 1 to 6, to isolated nucleic acid sequences and to the use thereof as a testicular cancer marker.

Abstract: A peptide domain necessary for an interaction between an envelope of a virus belonging to an HERV-W interference group and an hASCT receptor comprises (i) an N-terminus motif having an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: SEQ ID No. 1 to SEQ ID No. 29, (ii) a C-terminus motif having an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: SEQ ID No. 30 to SEQ ID No. 40, and (iii) at least one motif between the N-terminus and the C-terminus, and having an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: SEQ ID No. 41, SEQ ID No. 42 and SEQ ID No. 73.

Abstract: A peptide domain necessary for an interaction between an envelope of a virus belonging to an HERV-W interference group and an hASCT receptor comprises (i) an N-terminus motif having an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: SEQ ID No. 1 to SEQ ID No. 29, (ii) a C-terminus motif having an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: SEQ ID No. 30 to SEQ ID No. 40, and (iii) at least one motif between the N-terminus and the C-terminus, and having an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: SEQ ID No. 41, SEQ ID No. 42 and SEQ ID No. 73.

Abstract: The subject matter of the present invention is a method for the diagnosis or prognosis, in vitro, of testicular cancer, which includes a step of detecting at least one expression product of at least one HERV nucleic acid sequence, the use of said nucleic acid sequences, which have been isolated, as a molecular marker or molecular markers, and a kit including at least one binding partner specific for at least one of the expression products of the HERV nucleic acid sequences.

Abstract: A method for in vitro diagnosis of testicular cancer includes (i) obtaining a biological sample from a patient suspected of having testicular cancer, (ii) performing an assay to determine the methylation status of CpG dinucleotides in a genomic DNA target sequence, the DNA target sequence being the 5? LTR U3 promoter sequence of the ERVWE1 locus, optionally further including an activator sequence directly upstream of the 5? LTR U3 promoter sequence, and (iii) diagnosing the patient with testicular cancer when the DNA target sequence is hypomethylated as compared to a methylation status indicative of the absence of testicular cancer.

Abstract: A method for in vitro diagnosis or prognosis of testicular cancer in a biological sample from a patient suspected of suffering from testicular cancer, having a step of detecting the presence or absence of methylation of CpG dinucleotides in at least one genomic DNA target sequence of the sample, the target sequence being selected from at least one of the sequences identified in SEQ ID NOS: 1 to 7 or from at least one sequence which exhibits at least 99% identity with one of the sequences identified in SEQ ID NOS: 1 to 7 and the sequences complementary thereto; to the DNA sequences and to the use thereof as a testicular cancer marker.

Abstract: A genomic retroviral nucleic material, in an isolated or purified state, at least partially functional or non-functional, wherein the genome comprises a reference nucleotide sequence selected from the group including sequences of SEQ ID NOs: 1-15, their complementary sequences, and their equivalent sequences, in particular, nucleotide sequences having, for every series of 100 contiguous monomers, at least 70% and preferably at least 90% homology with the sequences of SEQ ID NOs: 1-15.

Abstract: An isolated polynucleotide having a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of (a) SEQ ID NO: 21, (b) the full-length sequences encoding a polypeptide having a peptide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 25 and 26, and (c) the full-length complementary sequences to the sequences set forth in (a) or (b).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for in vitro diagnosis or prognosis of testicular cancer which comprises a step of detecting the presence or absence of at least one expression product from at least one nucleic acid sequence selected from the sequences identified in SEQ ID NOS: 1 to 6 or from the sequences which exhibit at least 99% identity with one of the sequences identified in SEQ ID NOS: 1 to 6, to isolated nucleic acid sequences and to the use thereof as a testicular cancer marker.

Abstract: A method for in vitro diagnosis or prognosis of testicular cancer in a biological sample from a patient suspected of suffering from testicular cancer, having a step of detecting the presence or absence of methylation of CpG dinucleotides in at least one genomic DNA target sequence of the sample, the target sequence being selected from at least one of the sequences identified in SEQ ID NOS: 1 to 7 or from at least one sequence which exhibits at least 99% identity with one of the sequences identified in SEQ ID NOS: 1 to 7 and the sequences complementary thereto; to the DNA sequences and to the use thereof as a testicular cancer marker.

Abstract: An isolated polynucleotide having a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of (a) SEQ ID NO: 21, (b) the full-length sequences encoding a polypeptide having a peptide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 25 and 26, and (c) the full-length complementary sequences to the sequences set forth in (a) or (b).

Abstract: The invention concerns a nucleic material, in isolated or purified state, and a nucleotide fragment comprising a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting in (i) the sequences SEQ ID NO: 112, SEQ ID NO:114, SEQ ID NO: 117, SEQ ID NO: 120, SEQ ID NO. 124, SEQ ID NO: 130, SEQ ID NO: 141 and SEQ ID NO: 142, (ii) the complementary sequences of sequences (i); and (iii) the sequences equivalent to sequences (ii) and (iii), in particular the sequence having for every series of 100 contiguous monomers, at least 50%, preferably 70% homology with sequences (i) and (ii) respectively. The invention also concerns their uses for detecting a retrovirus associated with multiple sclerosis and/or rheumatoid arthritis.

Abstract: The invention concerns an endogenic nucleic fragment, such as an isolated retrovirus, integrated in the human DNA genome, the fragment being characterized in that it comprises, or consists of, at least part of the gag gene of an endogenetic retrovirus associated with an autoimmune disease or pregnancy failure or pregnancy pathologies, said part at least coding, directly and indirectly, for an expression product, or the complement of the fragment.

Abstract: The invention relates to a peptide domain required for interaction between the envelope of a virus pertaining to the HERV-W interference group and a hASCT receptor, comprising an N end point and a C end point. Said peptide domain is defined, at the N end point thereof, by a pattern formed by the amino acids L (Z)-proline-cysteine-X-cysteine in which Z is any amino acid, is a whole number between 2 and 30, and X is any amino acid, and at the C end point thereof, by a pattern formed by the amino acids serine-aspartic acid-Xa-Xb-Xc-Xd-Xe-aspartic acid-Xf-Xg-(Z) in which Xa, Xb, Xc, Xd, Xe, Xf, Xg are any amino acids, Z is any amino acid, B is a whole number between 15 and 25, preferably 20.

Abstract: A method for detecting the expression of a polypeptide in cells and for detecting the interaction between a polypeptide and cells, ex vivo or in vitro, wherein the polypeptide is selected from the group consisting of: a peptide comprising the cyt domain of the envelope protein of the human endogenous retrovirus, HERV-W; a peptide comprising amino acids 448-538 of SEQ ID NO: 1; and a peptide comprising a sequence having, for any series of 20 amino acids, at least 80% identity with amino acids 448-538 of SEQ ID NO: 1. Detection is established by the fusogenic power of the polypeptide, which is demonstrated by syncytia formation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for generating transcripts from: at least one RNA sequence to be amplified comprising a “primer” region and a region of interest, and an amplification primer comprising a promoter region, and a region capable of hybridizing to said “primer” region of the RNA sequence to be amplified, said method being carried out at constant temperature, and comprising the following steps: a) said primer is hybridized with the RNA to be amplified, b) the primer is extended by means of a reverse transcriptase enzymatic activity in order to generate a complementary deoxyribonucleic acid (cDNA) sequence of the RNA to be amplified, c) the RNA to be amplified, hybridized to said cDNA, is cleaved by means of an enzyme that has a ribonuclease H activity, so as to obtain fragments of RNA to be amplified, hybridized to said cDNA, d) the ends of said fragments of RNA to be amplified are extended by means of a reverse transcriptase and strand displacement enzyme, so as to obtain RNA-DNA/DNA hybr

Abstract: RNA may be transcribed using a nucleotide reagent as the promoter. The reagent may enable RNA to be transcribed without sequence specification and without protein cofactors, by means of an RNA polymerase that is known to be DNA-dependent such as the RNA polymerase of the phage T7, or by means of new, mutated RNA polymerase with the ability to synthesize a transcription product of polynucleotide matrix with a higher yield when the matrix is RNA than when the matrix is DNA. This type of RNA polymerase can be obtained by effecting mutations on a coding gene for a wild-type RNA polymerase, and then by selecting the mutated RNA polymerase with the ability. The invention can be applied notably to the detection, synthesis or quantification of RNA.

Abstract: An RNA amplification method is particularly useful for diagnosing bacterial or viral infections or genetic disorders and for cell typing. The method includes the steps of denaturing a solution containing RNA, synthesizing a first cDNA strand from a suitable primer in the presence of reverse transcriptase, denaturing the heteroduplex formed, synthesizing a second cDNA strand from a second primer in the presence of DNA polymerase and then subjecting the cDNA formed to a sufficient number of amplification cycles. All the reactants and solvents are first placed in the same container to provide a single manipulation step that avoids the risk of contamination.