Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and to vectors for the immortalisation of cells independent of their type. It further relates to a cell or a cell line produced with the method or the vectors of the invention. The invention also relates to the use of this cell or cell line in in vitro applications and in the treatment of disease.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and to vectors for the immortalisation of cells independent of their type. It further relates to a cell or a cell line produced with the method or the vectors of the invention. The invention also relates to the use of this cell or cell line in in vitro applications and in the treatment of disease.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the generation of immortalized transduced cell lines susceptible to senescence whereby the senescence is exogenously inducible and said cells can switch severalfold between the senescent stage and the immortalized stage. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for the generation of immortalized transduced cell lines susceptible to senescence wherein two or more different immortalizing gene sequences have been incorporated whereby said immortalizing gene sequences are regulated by regulators controlled via exogenous means. In a further aspect, the present invention relates to immortalized transduced cell lines obtainable with said method. In addition, methods for screening molecules influencing senescence of cells are provided as well as kits for conducting the same.

Abstract: In a first aspect, cyclic peptides are provided identified as molecules altering the interferon activity, namely, inhibiting interferon response. Moreover, the present invention relates to a transgenic animal or parts thereof and a method for the determination of molecules and compounds altering the function of interferons, in particular, type I and type II interferon. In particular, said transgenic animal or parts thereof contain large parts of exogenous chromosomal DNA, namely interferon responsive DNA promoter elements operably linked with a nucleic acid sequence encoding a reporter or marker molecule. These a transgenic animal or parts thereof are useful in the methods according to the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for generating virus producing cell lines and master producer cell lines. In particular, the present invention relates to methods allowing the production of virus producing cell lines without conducting laborious selection work. Moreover, the present invention pertains to virus producing cell lines obtained with the methods according to the present invention as well as to virus obtained using said cell lines.

Abstract: The invention relates to an interferon regulatory factor-1/human estrogen receptor fusion protein which is reversibly activatible by &bgr;-estradiol and its use for treating carcinomas, particularly for treating hepatocellular carcinoma.

Abstract: Murine retroviruses are the most important transfer systems for human gene therapy. However, their application is currently limited. One of the major restrictions both for an application in vivo resides in the problem that this virus type is sensitive to inactivation by human complement factors. Our invention overcomes this limitation. We have modified murine recombinant retroviruses in a way that they are resistant to human complement factors. This was achieved by genetic modification of the retroviral surface protein env which is responsible for receptor interaction: the receptor interacting domain of env was fused to catalytically active domains of human complement inactivation factors. These modified env were expressed in complement-sensitive cells and specifically integrated into virus particles. By this strategy cells and viruses are generated that are fully resistant to complement attack.