Abstract: An improved assay is described where a surface is provided with immobilized anti-Ig antibodies rather than antigen and where specific antibody-secreting cells (ASC) are detected using soluble antigen probes containing one of several possible labels. The method gives improved sensitivity with less background and is also more representative because antigen binding does not employ immobilized antigen. The assay is particularly effective for measuring antibody secreting cells against HIV, for determining whether an infection is acute as opposed to old or latent, for mapping epitopes and for measuring for ASCs against different antigens in the same reaction.

Abstract: The invention refers to a method for producing an antigen comprising at least one hydrophobic or partially hydrophobic antigen molecule from a virus, a bacterium, fungus, protozoan, parasite, a human neoplastic cell or an animal neoplastic, tumor or 5 cancer cell, the method comprising the steps of providing a virus, or cell comprising an antigen molecule, purifying the cell comprising the antigen molecule, solubilizing the antigen molecule in a solubilizing agent that preserves an intact antigen molecule upon solubilization and reconstituting the antigen molecule in a lipid-binding polypeptide that provides a lipid membrane mimicking environment and a reconstituted antigen particle 10 obtained by this method.

Abstract: The invention refers to a method for producing an antigen comprising at least one hydrophobic or partially hydrophobic antigen molecule from a virus, a bacterium, fungus, protozoan, parasite, a human neoplastic cell or an animal neoplastic, tumour or 5 cancer cell, the method comprising the steps of providing a virus, or cell comprising an antigen molecule, purifying the cell comprising the antigen molecule, solubilizing the antigen molecule in a solubilizing agent that preserves an intact antigen molecule upon solubilisation and reconstituting the antigen molecule in a lipid-binding polypeptide that provides a lipid membrane mimicking environment and a reconstituted antigen particle 10 obtained by this method.

Abstract: An improved assay is described where a surface is provided with immobilized anti-Ig antibodies rather than antigen and where specific antibody-secreting cells (ASC) are detected using soluble antigen probes containing one of several possible labels. The method gives improved sensitivity with less background and is also more representative because antigen binding does not employ immobilized antigen. The assay is particularly effective for measuring antibody secreting cells against HIV, for determining whether an infection is acute as opposed to old or latent, for mapping epitopes and for measuring for ASCs against different antigens in the same reaction.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for inducing cell-mediated immunity against cellular antigens. More specifically, the invention provides for a method for inducing cytotoxic T-lymphocyte immunity against weak antigens, notably self-proteins. The method entails that antigen presenting cells are induced to present at least one CTL epitope of the weak antigen and at the same time presenting at least one foreign T-helper lymphocyte epitope. In a preferred embodiment, the antigen is a cancer specific antigen, e.g. PSM, Her2, or FGF8b. The method can be exercised by using traditional polypeptide vaccination, but also by using live attenuated vaccines or nucleic acid vaccination. The invention furthermore provides immunogenic analogues of PSM, Her2 and FGF8b, as well as nucleic acid molecules encoding these analogues. Also vectors and transformed cells are disclosed. The invention also provides for a method for identification of immunogenic analogues of weak or non-immunogenic antigens.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for inducing cell-mediated immunity against cellular antigens. More specifically, the invention provides for a method for inducing cytotoxic T-lymphocyte immunity against weak antigens, notably self-proteins. The method entails that antigen presenting cells are induced to present at least one CTL epitope of the weak antigen and at the same time presenting at least one foreign T-helper lymphocyte epitope. In a preferred embodiment, the antigen is a cancer specific antigen, e.g. PSM, Her2, or FGF8b. The method can be exercised by using traditional polypeptide vaccination, but also by using live attenuated vaccines or nucleic acid vaccination. The invention furthermore provides immunogenic analogues of PSM, Her2 and FGF8b, as well as nucleic acid molecules encoding these analogues. Also vectors and transformed cells are disclosed. The invention also provides for a method for identification of immunogenic analogues of weak or non-immunogenic antigens.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for inducing cell-mediated immunity against cellular antigens. More specifically, the invention provides for a method for inducing cytotoxic T-lymphocyte immunity against weak antigens, notably self-proteins. The method entails that antigen presenting cells are induced to present at least one CTL epitope of the weak antigen and at the same time presenting at least one foreign T-helper lymphocyte epitope. In a preferred embodiment, the antigen is a cancer specific antigen, e.g. PSM, Her2, or FGF8b. The method can be exercised by using traditional polypeptide vaccination, but also by using live attenuated vaccines or nucleic acid vaccination. The invention furthermore provides immunogenic analogues of PSM, Her2 and FGF8b, as well as nucleic acid molecules encoding these analogues. Also vectors and transformed cells are disclosed. The invention also provides for a method for identification of immunogenic analogues of weak or non-immunogenic antigens.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for inducing cell-mediated immunity against cellular antigens. More specifically, the invention provides for a method for inducing cytotoxic T-lymphocyte immunity against weak antigens, notably self-proteins. The method entails that antigen presenting cells are induced to present at least one CTL epitope of the weak antigen and at the same time presenting at least one foreign T-helper lymphocyte epitope. In a preferred embodiment, the antigen is a cancer specific antigen, e.g. PSM, Her2, or FGF8b. The method can be exercised by using traditional polypeptide vaccination, but also by using live attenuated vaccines or nucleic acid vaccination. The invention furthermore provides immunogenic analogues of PSM, Her2 and FGF8b, as well as nucleic acid molecules encoding these analogues. Also vectors and transformed cells are disclosed. The invention also provides for a method for identification of immunogenic analogues of weak or non-immunogenic antigens.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for inducing cell-mediated immunity against cellular antigens. More specifically, the invention provides for a method for inducing cytotoxic T-lymphocyte immunity against weak antigens, notably self-proteins. The method entails that antigen presenting cells are induced to present at least one CTL epitope of the weak antigen and at the same time presenting at least one foreign T-helper lymphocyte epitope. In a preferred embodiment, the antigen is a cancer specific antigen, e.g. PSM, Her2, or FGF8b. The method can be exercised by using traditional polypeptide vaccination, but also by using live attenuated vaccines or nucleic acid vaccination. The invention furthermore provides immunogenic analogues of PSM, Her2 and FGF8b, as well as nucleic acid molecules encoding these analogues. Also vectors and transformed cells are disclosed. The invention also provides for a method for identification of immunogenic analogues of weak or non-immunogenic antigens.

Abstract: Substrate with high specificity to thrombin and thrombin-like enzymes having the formula: ##STR1## and salts thereof, wherein R.sub.1 is H or OH; R.sub.2 is nitrophenyl; and n is 1, 2 or 3 provided along with the method of use.