Abstract: According to the present invention, a composition for inducing or activating dendritic cell-like cells so as to treat or prevent cancer by immunotherapy is provided. Specifically, the following is provided: an agent for activating cancer immunity, which comprises, as an active ingredient, the following REIC protein: (a) a protein consisting of the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 2; or (b) a protein consisting of an amino acid sequence derived from the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 2 by substitution, deletion, or addition of one or more amino acid(s) and having the activity of inducing differentiation from monocytes into dendritic cell-like cells.

Abstract: A method for potentiating the antitumor immunity in an animal by administering REIC/Dkk-3, or a therapeutic agent for malignant mesothelioma containing REIC/Dkk-3, or a vector containing the DNA as an active ingredient; wherein the DNA consists of the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1; or (b) a DNA hybridizing under stringent conditions to the DNA consisting of a nucleotide sequence complementary to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 and encoding a protein having apoptosis-inducing activity and interleukin (IL-7) production-accelerating activity in cells.

Abstract: According to the present invention, an apoptosis-inducing agent for prostate cancer comprising REIC/Dkk-3 DNA or an REIC/Dkk-3 protein, and a therapeutic agent for prostate cancer and an agent for inhibiting prostate cancer metastasis that comprise such apoptosis-inducing agent are provided.

Abstract: This invention provides an inducer of apoptosis in cancer cells comprising a fragment of the REIC/Dkk-3 gene and a cancer therapeutic agent comprising the same. This invention also provides a polynucleotide fragment encoding the REIC/Dkk-3 protein (a) or (b), which encodes a polypeptide having apoptosis activity: (a) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence of amino acid 1 to any of amino acids 39 to 78 of the amino acid sequence of the REIC/Dkk-3 protein as shown in SEQ ID NO: 2; or (b) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence derived from the amino acid sequence of amino acid 1 to any of amino acids 39 to 78 of the amino acid sequence of the REIC/Dkk-3 protein as shown in SEQ ID NO: 2 by substitution, deletion, or addition of 1 or several amino acids and having apoptosis activity.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a composition for inducing or activating dendritic cell-like cells so as to treat or prevent cancer by immunotherapy is provided. Specifically, the following is provided: an agent for activating cancer immunity, which comprises, as an active ingredient, the following REIC protein: (a) a protein consisting of the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 2; or (b) a protein consisting of an amino acid sequence derived from the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 2 by substitution, deletion, or addition of one or more amino acid(s) and having the activity of inducing differentiation from monocytes into dendritic cell-like cells.

Abstract: This invention provides an inducer of apoptosis in cancer cells comprising a fragment of the REIC/Dkk-3 gene and a cancer therapeutic agent comprising the same. This invention also provides a polynucleotide fragment encoding the REIC/Dkk-3 protein (a) or (b), which encodes a polypeptide having apoptosis activity: (a) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence of amino acid 1 to any of amino acids 39 to 78 of the amino acid sequence of the REIC/Dkk-3 protein as shown in SEQ ID NO: 2; or (b) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence derived from the amino acid sequence of amino acid 1 to any of amino acids 39 to 78 of the amino acid sequence of the REIC/Dkk-3 protein as shown in SEQ ID NO: 2 by substitution, deletion, or addition of 1 or several amino acids and having apoptosis activity.

Abstract: A polypeptide capable of strongly inducing and activating dendritic-cell-like cells for treating or prevent cancer by immunotherapy, and DNA encoding the polypeptide. The polypeptide is a polypeptide (a) or (b) consisting of a partial region of the REIC/Dkk-3 protein.

Abstract: The present inventors carried out immunization using renal/urinary calculus-derived calcified globules or carotid artery-derived arteriosclerotic plaques, and then obtained antibodies specific to calcified globules (NLO) via screening with NLO. The present inventors demonstrated that the antibodies reacted specifically to arteriosclerotic lesions (calcified lesions) and visualized arteriosclerotic plaques (in particular, calcified lesions) by using fluorescently labeled antibodies. Accordingly, the present inventors completed the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an oligonucleotide which is designed on the basis of a nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 2 and hybridizes with the endogenous plasmid gene of Chlamydia trachomatis, oligonucleotide primer and probe for detecting Chlamydia trachomatis, the detection method of Chlamydia trachomatis using said primer and probe, and a primer for detecting Chlamydia trachomatis of said oligonucleotide or the use to a probe design.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for increasing the expression of foreign genes, in particular, using a promoter, an enhancer, and the like, and an expression cassette containing a promoter, an enhancer, and the like, by which gene expression can be increased. The purpose is achieved with the use of the gene expression cassette comprising a DNA construct containing a gene to be expressed and a poly A addition sequence that are located downstream of a 1st promoter, and further comprising an enhancer or a 2nd promoter ligated downstream of the DNA construct.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a composition for inducing or activating dendritic cell-like cells so as to treat or prevent cancer by immunotherapy is provided. Specifically, the following is provided: an agent for activating cancer immunity, which comprises, as an active ingredient, the following REIC protein: (a) a protein consisting of the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 2; or (b) a protein consisting of an amino acid sequence derived from the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 2 by substitution, deletion, or addition of one or more amino acid(s) and having the activity of inducing differentiation from monocytes into dendritic cell-like cells.

Abstract: The present invention provides a drug capable of causing cancer cells to restore anticancer drug sensitivity in cases in which cancer has acquired resistance to an anticancer drug and inducing cell death in cancer cells. The present invention specifically provides a cancer cell death inducing agent comprising REIC/Dkk-3 DNA as an active ingredient and having effects of potentiating an anticancer drug for cancer cells having anticancer drug resistance.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a method for treating malignant mesothelioma using REIC/Dkk-3 and a therapeutic agent for malignant mesothelioma comprising REIC/Dkk-3 are provided. A mesothelioma therapeutic agent is provided, comprising the following REIC/Dkk-3 DNA or a vector comprising the DNA as an active ingredient: (a) a DNA consisting of the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1; or (b) a DNA hybridizing under stringent conditions to a DNA consisting of a nucleotide sequence complementary to the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 and encoding a protein having apoptosis-inducing activity and IL-7 production-accelerating activity in cells.

Abstract: The present inventors carried out immunization using renal/urinary calculus-derived calcified globules or carotid artery-derived arteriosclerotic plaques, and then obtained antibodies specific to calcified globules (NLO) via screening with NLO. The present inventors demonstrated that the antibodies reacted specifically to arteriosclerotic lesions (calcified lesions) and visualized arteriosclerotic plaques (in particular, calcified lesions) by using fluorescently labeled antibodies. Accordingly, the present inventors completed the present invention.

Abstract: According to the present invention, an apoptosis-inducing agent for prostate cancer comprising REIC/Dkk-3 DNA or an REIC/Dkk-3 protein, and a therapeutic agent for prostate cancer and an agent for inhibiting prostate cancer metastasis that comprise such apoptosis-inducing agent are provided.

Abstract: Provided are a novel primer and a probe for the detection of Chlamydophila caviae which can exclude any false positive result for the diagnosis, as well as a method for detecting Chlamydophila caviae more simply, rapidly and with high accuracy using the same. According to the method for detection of Chlamydophila caviae using the primer and/or the probe of the present invention, the detection of Chlamydophila caviae can be performed more rapidly and with high precision compared with a conventional bacterial species identification method performed by culture examination and the like. In addition, by using the detection method of the present invention, the Chlamydophila caviae itself can also be quantified.

Abstract: This invention provides an inducer of apoptosis in cancer cells comprising a fragment of the REIC/Dkk-3 gene and a cancer therapeutic agent comprising the same. This invention also provides a polynucleotide fragment encoding the REIC/Dkk-3 protein (a) or (b), which encodes a polypeptide having apoptosis activity: (a) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence of amino acid 1 to any of amino acids 39 to 78 of the amino acid sequence of the REIC/Dkk-3 protein as shown in SEQ ID NO: 2; or (b) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence derived from the amino acid sequence of amino acid 1 to any of amino acids 39 to 78 of the amino acid sequence of the REIC/Dkk-3 protein as shown in SEQ ID NO: 2 by substitution, deletion, or addition of 1 or several amino acids and having apoptosis activity.

Abstract: According to the present invention, an apoptosis-inducing agent for prostate cancer comprising REIC/Dkk-3 DNA or an REIC/Dkk-3 protein, and a therapeutic agent for prostate cancer and an agent for inhibiting prostate cancer metastasis that comprise such apoptosis-inducing agent are provided.