Abstract: Polypeptide growth factors, methods of making them, polynucleotides encoding them, antibodies to them, and methods of using them are disclosed. The polypeptides comprise an amino acid segment that is at least 90% identical to residues 46-163 of SEQ ID NO:2 or residues 235-345 of SEQ ID NO:2. Multimers of the polypeptides are also disclosed. The polypeptides, multimeric proteins, and polynucleotides can be used in the study and regulation of cell and tissue development, as components of cell culture media, and as diagnostic agents.

Abstract: Novel polypeptide combinations, polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides, and related compositions and methods are disclosed for soluble zalpha11 receptors that may be used as novel cytokine antagonists, and within methods for detecting ligands that stimulate the proliferation and/or development of hematopoietic, lymphoid and myeloid cells in vitro and in vivo. Ligand-binding receptor polypeptides can also be used to block zalpha11 Ligand activity in vitro and in vivo, and may be used in conjunction with zalpha11 Ligand and other cytokines to selectively stimulate the immune system. The present invention also includes methods for producing the protein, uses therefor and antibodies thereto.

Abstract: The present invention relates to blocking, inhibiting, reducing, antagonizing or neutralizing the activity of IL-17, IL-23 via it's p19 subunit or both IL-17 and IL-23 (via p19). IL-17 and IL-23 are cytokines that are involved in inflammatory processes and human disease.

Abstract: Novel polypeptide combinations, polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides, and related compositions and methods are disclosed for soluble zalpha11 receptors that may be used as novel cytokine antagonists, and within methods for detecting ligands that stimulate the proliferation and/or development of hematopoietic, lymphoid and myeloid cells in vitro and in vivo. Ligand-binding receptor polypeptides can also be used to block zalpha11 Ligand activity in vitro and in vivo, and may be used in conjunction with zalpha11 Ligand and other cytokines to selectively stimulate the immune system. The present invention also includes methods for producing the protein, uses therefor and antibodies thereto.

Abstract: The present invention provides a newly identified B7 receptor, zB7R1 that functions as lymphocyte inhibitory receptor, which is a PD-1-like molecule and is expressed on T cells. The present invention also provides the discovery of zB7R1's ability to bind to CD155. Methods and compositions for modulating zB7R1-mediated negative signaling and interfering with the interaction of its counter-receptor for therapeutic, diagnostic and research purposes are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to blocking, inhibiting, reducing, antagonizing or neutralizing the activity of IL-17, IL-23 via it's p19 subunit or both IL-17 and IL-23 (via p19). IL-17 and IL-23 are cytokines that are involved in inflammatory processes and human disease.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides for proprotein and activatable proprotein compositions. A proprotein contains a functional protein (i.e. a full length protein or functional fragment thereof) which is coupled to a peptide mask that inhibits the binding of the functional protein to its target or binding partner. An activatable proprotein contains a functional protein coupled to a peptide mask, and further coupled to an activatable linker, wherein in an non-activated state, the peptide mask inhibits binding of the functional protein to its target or binding partner and in an activated state the peptide mask does not inhibit binding of the functional protein to its target or binding partner. Proproteins can provide for reduced toxicity and adverse side effects that could otherwise result from binding of a functional protein at non-treatment sites if it were not inhibited from binding its binding partner. Proproteins can further provide improved biodistribution characteristics.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides modified antibodies which contain an antibody or antibody fragment (AB) modified with a masking moiety (MM). Such modified antibodies can be further coupled to a cleavable moiety (CM), resulting in activatable antibodies (AAs), wherein the CM is capable of being cleaved, reduced, photolysed, or otherwise modified. AAs can exhibit an activatable conformation such that the AB is more accessible to a target after, for example, removal of the MM by cleavage, reduction, or photolysis of the CM in the presence of an agent capable of cleaving, reducing, or photolysing the CM. The disclosure further provides methods of making and using such modified antibodies and activatable antibodies.

Abstract: Novel polypeptide combinations, polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides, and related compositions and methods are disclosed for soluble zalpha11 receptors that may be used as novel cytokine antagonists, and within methods for detecting ligands that stimulate the proliferation and/or development of hematopoietic, lymphoid and myeloid cells in vitro and in vivo. Ligand-binding receptor polypeptides can also be used to block zalpha11 Ligand activity in vitro and in vivo, and may be used in conjunction with zalpha11 Ligand and other cytokines to selectively stimulate the immune system. The present invention also includes methods for producing the protein, uses therefor and antibodies thereto.

Abstract: Polypeptide growth factors, methods of making them, polynucleotides encoding them, antibodies to them, and methods of using them are disclosed. The polypeptides comprise an amino acid segment that is at least 90% identical to residues 46-163 of SEQ ID NO:2 or residues 235-345 of SEQ ID NO:2. Multimers of the polypeptides are also disclosed. The polypeptides, multimeric proteins, and polynucleotides can be used in the study and regulation of cell and tissue development, as components of cell culture media, and as diagnostic agents.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of preparing a tetrameric protein comprising culturing a host cell transformed or transfected with an expression vector encoding a fusion protein comprising a vasodialator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) domain and a heterologous protein. In one embodiment, the heterologous protein is a membrane protein, the portion of the heterologous protein that included in the fusion protein is the extracellular domain of that protein, and the resulting fusion protein is soluble. The method can be used to produced homo- and hetero-tetrameric proteins. The present invention also encompasses DNA molecules, expression vectors, and host cells used in the present method and fusion proteins produced by the present method.

Abstract: Novel polypeptide combinations, polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides, and related compositions and methods are disclosed for soluble zalpha11 receptors that may be used as novel cytokine antagonists, and within methods for detecting ligands that stimulate the proliferation and/or development of hematopoietic, lymphoid and myeloid cells in vitro and in vivo. Ligand-binding receptor polypeptides can also be used to block zalpha11 Ligand activity in vitro and in vivo, and may be used in conjunction with zalpha11 Ligand and other cytokines to selectively stimulate the immune system. The present invention also includes methods for producing the protein, uses therefor and antibodies thereto.

Abstract: In various embodiments, the present invention provides methods of converting a Fab molecule to a scFv molecule. The methods include amplifying the polynucleotide sequence of the variable light and variable heavy regions of the Fab molecule from the framework 1 to framework 4 sequences; adding one or more restriction endonuclease sites to the amino or carboxyl terminal of the amplified variable region sequence by PCR or ligation; adding one or more linker sequences to the amino or carboxyl terminal of the amplified variable region sequence by PCR or ligation. Additionally, in various embodiments the variable light chain sequence is either amino terminal or carboxyl terminal to the variable heavy chain sequence.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides activatable binding polypeptides (ABPs), which contain a target binding moiety (TBM), a masking moiety (MM), and a cleavable moiety (CM). The present disclosure provides activatable antibody compositions, which contain a TBM containing an antigen binding domain (ABD), a MM and a CM. Furthermore the present disclosure also provides ABPs which contain a first TBM, a second TBM and a CM. The ABPs exhibit an “activatable” conformation such that at least one of the TBMs is less accessible to target when uncleaved than after cleavage of the CM in the presence of a cleaving agent capable of cleaving the CM. The disclosure further provides libraries of candidate ABPs, methods of screening to identify such ABPs, and methods of use. The disclosure further provides ABPs having TBMs that bind VEGF, CTLA-4, or VCAM, ABPs having a first TBM that binds VEGF and a second TBM that binds FGF, as well as compositions and methods of use.

Abstract: Novel polypeptide combinations, polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides, and related compositions and methods are disclosed for soluble zalpha11 receptors that may be used as novel cytokine antagonists, and within methods for detecting ligands that stimulate the proliferation and/or development of hematopoietic, lymphoid and myeloid cells in vitro and in vivo. Ligand-binding receptor polypeptides can also be used to block zalpha11 Ligand activity in vitro and in vivo, and may be used in conjunction with zalpha11 Ligand and other cytokines to selectively stimulate the immune system. The present invention also includes methods for producing the protein, uses therefor and antibodies thereto.

Abstract: Novel polypeptide combinations, polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides, and related compositions and methods are disclosed for soluble zalpha11 receptors that may be used as novel cytokine antagonists, and within methods for detecting ligands that stimulate the proliferation and/or development of hematopoietic, lymphoid and myeloid cells in vitro and in vivo. Ligand-binding receptor polypeptides can also be used to block zalpha11 Ligand activity in vitro and in vivo, and may be used in conjunction with zalpha11 Ligand and other cytokines to selectively stimulate the immune system. The present invention also includes methods for producing the protein, uses therefor and antibodies thereto.

Abstract: Disclosed are compositions and methods relating to the use of MSP94 proteins and its domains as frameworks for novel binding molecules, including screening assays for the identification of novel binding molecules.

Abstract: Novel polypeptide combinations, polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides, and related compositions and methods are disclosed for soluble zalpha11 receptors that may be used as novel cytokine antagonists, and within methods for detecting ligands that stimulate the proliferation and/or development of hematopoietic, lymphoid and myeloid cells in vitro and in vivo. Ligand-binding receptor polypeptides can also be used to block zalpha11 Ligand activity in vitro and in vivo, and may be used in conjunction with zalpha11 Ligand and other cytokines to selectively stimulate the immune system. The present invention also includes methods for producing the protein, uses therefor and antibodies thereto.

Abstract: The present invention provides method for producing trimeric tumor necrosis factor receptors that are potent inhibitors of their cognate ligands. More particularly, the present invention provides polypeptides that comprise: (1) an extracellular domain of the transmembrane activator and CAML (calcium-signal modulating cyclophilin ligand) interactor (TACI), and (2) a trimerizing polypeptide. Suitable TACI extracellular domains include: (1) amino acid residues 30 to 110 of SEQ ID NO:4, (2) amino acid residues 1 to 110 of SEQ ID NO:4, (3) amino acid residues 30 to 154 of SEQ ID NO:4, and (4) amino acid residues 1 to 154 of SEQ ID NO:4. Illustrative trimerizing polypeptides include a trimerizing fragment of Heat Shock Binding Protein-1. The present invention further provides homotrimeric complexes of fusion proteins comprising a TACI extracellular domain and a trimerizing polypeptide.

Abstract: The present invention provides a newly identified B7 receptor, zB7R1 that functions as lymphocyte inhibitory receptor, which is a PD-1-like molecule and is expressed on T cells. The present invention also provides the discovery of zB7R1's ability to bind to CD155. Methods and compositions for modulating zB7R1-mediated negative signaling and interfering with the interaction of its counter-receptor for therapeutic, diagnostic and research purposes are also provided.