Abstract: The present inventors produced transgenic silkworms which comprise a promoter of a DNA encoding a protein specifically expressed in the silk gland and a DNA encoding a recombinant antibody whose expression is regulated directly or indirectly by the promoter, and which secrete the recombinant antibody into the silk gland. The recombinant antibodies produced from the silk gland of the transgenic silkworms were confirmed to be active.

Abstract: Silkworms which have (i) a DNA encoding a transcriptional regulator operably linked downstream of a promoter of a DNA encoding a protein specifically expressed in the silk gland and (ii) a DNA encoding TRACP5 operably linked downstream of a target promoter of the transcriptional regulator were produced. The result showed that active TRACP5b was produced from the silkworms. This means that TRACP5 produced from the silk gland of the silkworms undergoes processing in the silk gland that is similar to the processing taking place at bone resorption sites.

Abstract: The detection of a non-alcoholic steatohepatitis patient and the accurate discrimination between a normal person and a non-alcoholic steatohepatitis patient can be achieved by measuring alanine-glyoxylate amino transferase in a sample.

Abstract: Silkworms which have (i) a DNA encoding a transcriptional regulator operably linked downstream of a promoter of a DNA encoding a protein specifically expressed in the silk gland and (ii) a DNA encoding TRACP5 operably linked downstream of a target promoter of the transcriptional regulator were produced. The result showed that active TRACP5b was produced from the silkworms. This means that TRACP5 produced from the silk gland of the silkworms undergoes processing in the silk gland that is similar to the processing taking place at bone resorption sites.

Abstract: By using an antibody which is covalently bonded to a water soluble polymer as an antibody to be used in a competitive immunoagglutination assay in a homogeneous system, a protein antigen at a high concentration can be accurately assayed in an undiluted system without resorting to dilution.

Abstract: The present inventors produced transgenic silkworms which comprise a promoter of a DNA encoding a protein specifically expressed in the silk gland and a DNA encoding a recombinant antibody whose expression is regulated directly or indirectly by the promoter, and which secrete the recombinant antibody into the silk gland. The recombinant antibodies produced from the silk gland of the transgenic silkworms were confirmed to be active.

Abstract: For determining an antigen or an antibody against the antigen in a sample, a determination reagent is used which comprises an antibody capable of causing an antigen-antibody reaction with the antigen contained in the sample and an antigen capable of causing an antigen-antibody reaction with both of the antibody contained in the sample and the antibody contained in the reagent. Either one of the antigen and the antibody in the reagent is supported on a microparticle. The sample is mixed with the reagent. The antigen or the antibody in the sample can be determined based on the degree of increase or decrease in agglutination caused by the antigen-antibody reaction. It becomes possible to determine both of an antigen and an antibody against the antigen in a sample accurately using one and the same reagent.

Abstract: Using the protein chip technology, biological samples such as sera are subjected to proteome analysis. Thus, a protein which is a human fibrinogen ?-E chain decomposition product and has a molecular weight of 5,900, a protein which is an apolipoprotein AII decomposition product and has a molecular weight of 7,800, and a protein which is an apolipoprotein AI decomposition product and has a molecular weight of 28,000, each showing an increase or a decrease with the habit of drinking, are newly found out. By detecting or quantifying these proteins, a liver disease in a subject such as one having a problem of drinking can be diagnosed at the early stage.

Abstract: By using an antibody which is covalently bonded to a water soluble polymer as an antibody to be used in a competitive immunoagglutination assay in a homogeneous system, a protein antigen at a high concentration can be accurately assayed in an undiluted system without resorting to dilution.

Abstract: Using the protein chip technology, biological samples such as sera are subjected to proteome analysis. Thus, a protein which is a human fibrinogen ?-E chain decomposition product and has a molecular weight of 5,900, a protein which is an apolipoprotein AII decomposition product and has a molecular weight of 7,800, and a protein which is an apolipoprotein AI decomposition product and has a molecular weight of 28,000, each showing an increase or a decrease with the habit of drinking, are newly found out. By detecting or quantifying these proteins, a liver disease in a subject such as one having a problem of drinking can be diagnosed at the early stage.

Abstract: Using two types of antibodies, i.e., a first antibody having a higher affinity for a target substance than for a competitive substance and a second antibody having a higher affinity for the competitive substance than for the target substance, a specimen is treated with these two antibodies. Then, the competitive substance in the specimen first binds to the second antibody and thus the ratio of the target substance to the competitive substance in the specimen is enlarged. As a result, the target substance becomes liable to bind to the first antibody and, in its turn, the reactivity of the target substance is elevated compared with the case of using the first antibody alone. Thus, the target substance in the specimen can be accurately assayed while avoiding the effects of the competitive substance contained in the specimen.

Abstract: A method for determination of calcium in a sample derived from a living body, by the reaction of calcium in the sample with Chlorophosphonazo-III or a compound analogous thereto in the presence of vanadate ions, followed by determination of calcium in the sample on the basis of an optical change caused by the reaction product, is excellent in various respects as follows: it is free from the problem of absorption of carbonic acid gas caused by a high pH; it is free from the problem of use of a toxic reagent containing arsenic; it makes it possible to subject a large number of samples to determination in a short time because it can be applied to an autoanalyzer; and it permits determination in a wide range because of low sample blank values.

Abstract: Using the protein chip technology, biological samples such as sera are subjected to proteome analysis. Thus, a protein which is a human fibrinogen ?-E chain decomposition product and has a molecular weight of 5,900, a protein which is an apolipoprotein AII decomposition product and has a molecular weight of 7,800, and a protein which is an apolipoprotein AI decomposition product and has a molecular weight of 28,000, each showing an increase or a decrease with the habit of drinking, are newly found out. By detecting or quantifying these proteins, a liver disease in a subject such as one having a problem of drinking can be diagnosed at the early stage.

Abstract: Specific and accurate immunoassay of tartrate resistant acid phosphatase 5b (TRACP 5b) in a specimen may be carried out by bonding TRACP 5b in the specimen to an antibody, subjecting the TRACP 5b bonded to the antibody to enzyme reaction with a 2-halo-4-nitrophenylphosphoric acid or a salt thereof, a substrate for TRACP 5b, and then assaying the enzymatic activity of TRACP 5b.

Abstract: Specific and accurate immunoassay of tartrate resistant acid phosphatase 5b (TRACP 5b) in a specimen may be carried out by bonding TRACP 5b in the specimen to an antibody, subjecting the TRACP 5b bonded to the antibody to enzyme reaction with a 2-halo-4-nitrophenylphosphoric acid or a salt thereof, a substrate for TRACP 5b, and then assaying the enzymatic activity of TRACP 5b.

Abstract: Monocolonal antibodies having a higher reactivity with tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b (TRACP 5b) than tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5a (TRACP 5a) and having a higher specificity to TRACP 5b can be obtained by cell fusion using as antigens TRACP 5b purified from human osteoclasts. By using the monoclonal antibody, TRACP 5b in a sample can be detected specifically with a high sensitivity.

Abstract: Using the protein chip technology, biological samples such as sera are subjected to proteome analysis. Thus, a protein which is a human fibrinogen ?-E chain decomposition product and has a molecular weight of 5,900, a protein which is an apolipoprotein AII decomposition product and has a molecular weight of 7,800, and a protein which is an apolipoprotein AI decomposition product and has a molecular weight of 28,000, each showing an increase or a decrease with the habit of drinking, are newly found out. By detecting or quantifying these proteins, a liver disease in a subject such as one having a problem of drinking can be diagnosed at the early stage.

Abstract: A method for determination of calcium in a sample derived from a living body, by the reaction of calcium in the sample with Chlorophosphonazo-III or a compound analogous thereto in the presence of vanadate ions, followed by determination of calcium in the sample on the basis of an optical change caused by the reaction product, is excellent in various respects as follows: it is free from the problem of absorption of carbonic acid gas caused by a high pH; it is free from the problem of use of a toxic reagent containing arsenic; it makes it possible to subject a large number of samples to determination in a short time because it can be applied to an autoanalyzer; and it permits determination in a wide range because of low sample blank values.

Abstract: A two reagent-type kit for assaying GPT by acting GPT on L-alanine and &agr;-ketoglutarate in the presence of pyridoxal phosphate, converting the resulting pyruvate into lactate with L-lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in the presence of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) and measuring GPT based on a decrement of NADH, the GPT assay kit comprising a first reagent and a second reagent, one of which contains pyridoxal phosphate, L-alanine, &agr;-ketoglutarate, LDH and NADH and the other reagent contains no pyridoxal phosphate but contains L-alanine. The GPT assay kit is stable over a long period of time.

Abstract: Monocolonal antibodies having a higher reactivity with tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b (TRACP 5b) than tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5a (TRACP 5a) and having a higher specificity to TRACP 5b can be obtained by cell fusion using as antigens TRACP 5b purified from human osteoclasts. By using the monoclonal antibody, TRACP 5b in a sample can be detected specifically with a high sensitivity.