Abstract: Compositions and methods are provided for alleviating cancer in a mammal by administering a therapeutic dose of a pharmaceutical composition that inhibits activity of AXL protein activity, for example by competitive or non-competitive inhibition of the binding interaction between AXL and its ligand GAS6.

Abstract: Surface modification methods for an interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) hydrogel to provide a basis for cell or tissue attachment are provided. The method involves the activation of functional groups on the surface of the IPN hydrogel. The activated functional groups are then reacted with amine-containing molecules or hydroxyl-containing molecules. The methods (i) can be performed in an aqueous environment and do not require the use of any organic solvent, (ii) do not require UV treatment, thereby avoiding denaturation of the IPN hydrogel or proteins, and/or (iii) can be performed as a one pot reaction.

Abstract: The present invention is based, in part, on our discovery that EGF can be engineered to generate mutants that bind to the EGF receptor (EGFR) of a cell and that have a desirable effect on the activity of the cell. For example, the mutants can agonize the receptor (i.e., increase a biological activity of the receptor), or antagonize the receptor (i.e., decrease or inhibit a biological activity of the receptor). In turn, the rate at which the cell proliferates, for example, can be changed. Moreover, some of these mutants bind EGFR with a higher affinity than wild-type EGF exhibits. The affinity may increase by about, for example, 2-, 5-, 10-, 15-, 20-, 25-, 30-, 50-, or 100-fold relative to wild-type EGF.

Abstract: Polypeptides comprising variant vascular endothelial growth factor sequences are provided. The polypeptides are useful in cancer imaging, cancer diagnosis, monitoring and treatment as well as treatment of diseases characterized by excessive neovascularization.

Abstract: Disclosed are peptides having a cystine knot structural motif and comprising a sequence engineered for specificity against ?IIb?3 integrin, found on platelets, and a method of using the same in anti-thrombotic therapies. The present peptides utilize a cystine knot scaffold derived from modified agouti-related protein or agatoxin, An alternate library screening strategy was used to isolate variants of peptides that selectively bound to ?IIb?3 integrin or to both ?IIb?3 and ?V?3 integrins. Unique consensus sequences were identified within the identified peptides suggesting alternative molecular recognition events that dictate different integrin binding specificities. In addition, the engineered peptides prevented human platelet aggregation in a plasma-based assay and showed high binding affinity for ?IIb?3 integrin.

Abstract: Surface modification methods for an interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) hydrogel to provide a basis for cell or tissue attachment are provided. The method involves the activation of functional groups on the surface of the IPN hydrogel. The activated functional groups are then reacted with amine-containing molecules or hydroxyl-containing molecules. The methods (i) can be performed in an aqueous environment and do not require the use of any organic solvent, (ii) do not require UV treatment, thereby avoiding denaturation of the IPN hydrogel or proteins, and/or (iii) can be performed as a one pot reaction.

Abstract: Interpenetrating network hydrogels are described that may be incorporated into wound dressings and/or in implants. The properties of the interpenetrating network hydrogel may be tuned to control an amount of moisture in a wound environment. The devices, methods, and kits described herein may be adapted to treat a variety of wound types at a variety of healing stages over a range of time scales. Some hydrogels may be configured to deliver one or more vulnerary agents to a wound. The interpenetrating network hydrogels may also be adapted to control a rate and/or amount of moisture uptake so that the hydrogels may be used as expandable implants to expand tissue.

Abstract: Engineered peptides that bind with high affinity (low equilibrium dissociation constant (Kd)) to the cell surface receptors of fibronectin (?5?1) or vitronectin (?v?3 and ?v?5 integrins) are disclosed. These peptides are based on a molecular scaffold into which a subsequence containing the RGD integrin-binding motif has been inserted. The subsequence (RGD mimic) comprises about 9-13 amino acids, and the RGD contained within the subsequence can be flanked by a variety of amino acids, the sequence of which was determined by sequential rounds of selection (in vitro evolution). The molecular scaffold is preferably based on a knottin, e.g., EETI (Trypsin inhibitor 2 (Trypsin inhibitor II) (EETI-II) [Ecballium elaterium (Jumping cucumber)], AgRP (Agouti-related protein), and Agatoxin IVB, which peptides have a rigidly defined three-dimensional conformation. It is demonstrated that EETI tolerates mutations in other loops and that the present peptides may be used as imaging agents.

Abstract: A bio-mimetic or bio-implantable material based on a sequential process of coupling biomolecule layers to a polymer layer is provided. In general, the material could be based on two or more biomolecule layers starting with one of the layers covalently linked to the polymer layer via cross-linkers and the other layers sequentially and covalently linked using cross-linkers to the previously added layer. The polymer layer could be a hydrogel or an interpenetrating polymer network hydrogel. The first layer of biomolecules could be a collagen type, fibronectin, laminin, extracellular matrix protein, or any combinations thereof. The second layer of biomolecules typically is a growth factor, protein or stimulant. The cross-linkers are either water soluble or insoluble bifunctional cross-linkers or azide-active-ester crosslinkers. The material and process as taught in this invention are useful in the field of tissue engineering and wound healing.

Abstract: The present invention is based, in part, on our discovery that EGF can be engineered to generate mutants that bind to the EGF receptor (EGFR) of a cell and that have a desirable effect on the activity of the cell. For example, the mutants can agonize the receptor (i.e., increase a biological activity of the receptor), or antagonize the receptor (i.e., decrease or inhibit a biological activity of the receptor). In turn, the rate at which the cell proliferates, for example, can be changed. Moreover, some of these mutants bind EGFR with a higher affinity than wild-type EGF exhibits. The affinity may increase by about, for example, 2-, 5-, 10-, 15-, 20-, 25-, 30-, 50-, or 100-fold relative to wild-type EGF.

Abstract: This invention relates to arrays of immobilized major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-peptide complexes and methods for using them.