Abstract: The present invention provides anticancer agents comprising dendritic cells introduced with RNA viruses. The present invention also provides methods for producing anticancer agents, which comprise the step of preparing dendritic cells introduced with RNA viruses. The present invention also provides methods for treating cancers using dendritic cells introduced with RNA viruses. The present invention provides effective methods for treating cancers, which use RNA viruses and dendritic cells in combination.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel methods for treating diseases associated with apoptotic degeneration in ocular tissue cells by effective administration of pigment epithelium derived factor (PEDF). The present inventors studied PEDF as a means to prevent ganglion cell death, the final pathology of glaucoma. The present invention is particularly focused on SIV vectors for effective methods for delivering PEDF, and constructed an SIV-PEDF vector. When the SIV-PEDF vector was administered subretinally to an ischemia reperfusion model and NMDA-induced model, a significant suppression effect on ganglion cell death was observed. The present inventors therefore discovered that the SIV-PEDF vector is an effective pharmaceutical agent for treating diseases associated with apoptotic degeneration in ocular tissue cells, such as glaucoma.

Abstract: The present invention provides Paramyxovirus vectors encoding angiogenic genes and use of the same. The use of Paramyxovirus vectors enables effective transfer of angiogenic genes into individual tissues. FGF2 gene transferred into ischemic tissues in vivo induces expression of angiogenic genes without causing edema, and prevents necrosis due to ischemia. The vectors of the present invention are suitable for gene therapy targeted to ischemic tissues.

Abstract: The present invention provides Paramyxovirus vectors encoding angiogenic genes and use of the same. The use of Paramyxovirus vectors enables effective transfer of angiogenic genes into individual tissues. FGF2 gene transferred into ischemic tissues in vivo induces expression of angiogenic genes without causing edema, and prevents necrosis due to ischemia. The vectors of the present invention are suitable for gene therapy targeted to ischemic tissues.

Abstract: The present invention provides Paramyxovirus vectors encoding angiogenic genes and use of the same. The use of Paramyxovirus vectors enables effective transfer of angiogenic genes into individual tissues. FGF2 gene transferred into ischemic tissues in vivo induces expression of angiogenic genes without causing edema, and prevents necrosis due to ischemia. The vectors of the present invention are suitable for gene therapy targeted to ischemic tissues.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel methods for treating diseases associated with apoptotic degeneration in ocular tissue cells by effective administration of pigment epithelium derived factor (PEDF). The present inventors studied PEDF as a means to prevent ganglion cell death, the final pathology of glaucoma. The present invention is particularly focused on SIV vectors for effective methods for delivering PEDF, and constructed an SIV-PEDF vector. When the SIV-PEDF vector was administered subretinally to an ischemia reperfusion model and NMDA-induced model, a significant suppression effect on ganglion cell death was observed. The present inventors therefore discovered that the SIV-PEDF vector is an effective pharmaceutical agent for treating diseases associated with apoptotic degeneration in ocular tissue cells, such as glaucoma.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for suppressing tumor proliferation comprising the step of inhibiting the expression of PDGF-A or the binding between PDGF-A homodimers and PDGFR?. Activation of the PDGFR?-p70S6K signal transduction pathway by PDGF-AA is an important factor in tumor angiogenesis and relates to the prognosis of patients suffering from tumors. By inhibiting PDGF-A expression in tumors or in their surrounding tissues, or by inhibiting the binding between PDGF-A homodimers and PDGFR?, the formation and retention of tumor vasculature can be inhibited, thereby suppressing tumor proliferation.

Abstract: Minus-strand RNA viruses were found to have an effective tumor-suppressive effect even when they did not carry a therapeutically effective gene. The present invention provides anticancer agents comprising a minus-strand RNA virus. Furthermore, the present invention provides methods for producing the anticancer agents, which comprise the step of mixing a minus-strand RNA virus with pharmaceutically acceptable carriers. Furthermore, the present invention provides methods for suppressing cancer, which comprise the step of administering a minus-strand RNA virus to cancer tissues.

Abstract: The present invention provides anticancer agents comprising dendritic cells introduced with RNA viruses. The present invention also provides methods for producing anticancer agents, which comprise the step of preparing dendritic cells introduced with RNA viruses. The present invention also provides methods for treating cancers using dendritic cells introduced with RNA viruses.

Abstract: The present invention provides a prophylactic and/or therapeutic agent for pulmonary hypertension, comprising an antagonistic mutein of MCP-1 or a salt thereof, a DNA molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding the antagonistic mutein of MCP-1, or a neutralizing antibody against MCP-1. The antagonistic mutein of MCP-1 or a salt thereof, the DNA molecule having a nucleotide sequence encoding the antagonistic mutein of MCP-1, or the neutralizing antibody against MCP-1 has hypotensive activity, and thus is useful as a pharmaceutical agent for preventing and/or treating pulmonary hypertension (primary pulmonary hypertension, in particular).

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for introducing a gene into a dendritic cell, which includes the step of contacting a minus-strand RNA virus with a dendritic cell. The present invention also provides a method for producing a gene transferred dendritic cell, which includes the step of contacting a minus-strand RNA virus with a dendritic cell. The present invention also provides gene transferred dendritic cells produced by such methods. Furthermore, the present invention provides a method for activating a dendritic cell, which includes the step of contacting a minus-strand RNA virus with a dendritic cell. The present invention enables efficient gene delivery into dendritic cells. Dendritic cells introduced with antigen gene or cytokine gene are useful as vaccine.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for treating inflammatory diseases accompanied by bone destruction, comprising the step of administering a viral vector comprising a gene which inhibits signal transduction mediated by fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF2)-FGF receptor 1-Ras-Raf-MAP kinase to a diseased region. Furthermore, the present invention relates to therapeutic compositions for inflammatory diseases accompanied by bone destruction, which comprise these vectors. By inhibiting FGF2 signal transduction through local administration of viral vectors, both inflammation and bone destruction in inflammatory bone destruction were simultaneously suppressed. The present invention provides disease-specific and effective therapeutic methods, and therapeutic compositions for inflammatory diseases such as osteoarthritis, for which therapy has so far been difficult.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of transducing a gene into activated T cells comprising the step of contacting a paramyxovirus vector with activated T cells. This invention also provides a method of preparing T cells transduced with a foreign gene comprising the step of contacting a paramyxovirus vector with activated T cells. This invention also provides T cells transduced with a foreign gene prepared by this method. The present invention enables efficient gene transduction specific to activated T cells, and is expected to be applied to immunological modification strategies using T cell-directed gene delivery.

Abstract: The present invention provides Paramyxovirus vectors encoding angiogenic genes and use of the same. The use of Paramyxovirus vectors enables effective transfer of angiogenic genes into individual tissues. FGF2 gene transferred into ischemic tissues in vivo induces expression of angiogenic genes without causing edema, and prevents necrosis due to ischemia. The vectors of the present invention are suitable for gene therapy targeted to ischemic tissues.

Abstract: The present invention provides a prophylactic and/or therapeutic agent for pulmonary hypertension, comprising an antagonistic mutein of MCP-1 or a salt thereof, a DNA molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding the antagonistic mutein of MCP-1, or a neutralizing antibody against MCP-1.