Abstract: Compositions and methods for stimulating muscle growth or differentiation in a vertebrate are disclosed. Such compositions include a muscle-trophic amount of interleukin-15 and can be used to treat a variety of conditions including disuse atrophy, wasting, various age-related disorders, secondary effects of diabetes, including glucose-intolerance, as well as muscular dystrophy, rhabdomyosarcoma and congestive heart failure. The compositions and methods of the invention find agricultural use in increasing the efficiency of meat and milk production of farm animals.

Abstract: Nucleic acid sequences which encode biologically active ETF, expression vectors which direct the expression of ETF, ETF polypeptides, antibodies which specifically bind ETF and processes for preparing the same are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods for treating or preventing gastrointestinal diseases and HIV or HIV-associated diseases.

Abstract: Subjects suffering from infectious diseases are treated by direct administration of therapeutically-effective quantities of granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor employed by itself or in conjunction with an antibiotic or a sulfonamide or other immunologically effective therapeutic agents. Homogeneous granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor for use in treatment in bacterial diseases is prepared by recombinant DNA techniques and then purified to homogeneity by reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography so that it may be safely administered to subject's suffering from infectious diseases.

Abstract: Double-stranded cDNA is prepared from polyadenylated RNA extracted from activated human peripheral blood adherent mononuclear cells. The cDNA is inserted within a plasmid vector and then the recombinant plasmid employed to transform an appropriate host. Transformed hosts are identified and grouped into pools. Plasmid DNA prepared from these pools is hybridized with a labeled, synthetic oligonucleotide probe corresponding to a portion of the amino acid sequence of the interleukin 1 protein. Pools of host cells that provide a positive signal to the probe are identified, plated out and then employed in direct bacterial colony hybridization with the same probe, thereby to isolate the particular positive colony. Plasmid DNA is prepared from this colony and characterized by restriction enzyme mapping and sequencing by chain-termination method. The coding region for the IL-1 gene is inserted into a shuttle vector for amplification of the vector followed by expression of functional IL-1.

Abstract: Macrophages and precursor monocytes are activated to exhibit tumoricidal activity by stimulation solely with granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor. A patient suffering from tumors can be treated by direct administration of therapeutically effective quantities of activated granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor. Homogeneous granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor for use in activating macrophages and monocyte precursors is prepared by recombinant DNA techniques. The gene coding for granylocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor is isolated and then recombinant protein product expressed in an appropriate expression system. The granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor recovered from the expression system is purified to homogeneity by reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography.

Abstract: A process for preparing bovine interleukin-2 (bIL-2) by culturing a microbial host transformed by a vector containing a DNA sequence encoding bIL-2 under conditions suitable for the expression of bIL-2 and recovering bIL-2.

Abstract: A chemically-synthesized oligonucleotide composing a portion of the nucleotide sequence of the human IL-2 is employed as a probe to isolate the gene coding for human IL-2. The human IL-2 gene is selected from a cDNA library prepared from RNA produced by mitogen-stimulated Jurkat cells. Double-stranded cDNA is prepared from polyadenylated RNA extracted from bovine cells thought to produce interleukin-2. Such cDNA is inserted within a plasmid vector and the recombinant plasmid employed to transform hosts. Plasmid DNA, prepared from pools of the transformed hosts, is hybridized with a probe composed of a large portion of the coding sequence of the human IL-2 gene. Pools of host cells that provide signal to the human cDNA probe are identified, subdivided, and rescreened until a single positive colony is identified. Bovine plasmid cDNA is prepared from this colony, and the bIL-2 gene is sequenced.