Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions and methods for producing dendritic cells and particularly to compositions and methods for producing immature dendritic cells that are immunocompetent. We describe a method of producing dendritic cells by cultivation of monocytes, characterised by at least one of: pre-treatment of a tissue culture surface with at least one of: a substantially plasma-free and serum-free pre-treatment medium, a pre-treatment medium comprising heparin, and a pre-treatment medium comprising a protein solution; adsorption of monocytes using at least one of: a substantially plasma-free and serum-free adsorption medium; cultivation of monocytes using a substantially plasma-free and serum-free cultivation medium. We also describe compositions including the dentritic cells and uses of the dentritic cells.

Abstract: Disclosed are novel methods and compositions for combating diseases characterized by deposition of amyloid. The methods generally rely on immunization against amyloid precursor protein (APP) or beta amyloid (A?). Immunization is preferably effected by administration of analogs of autologous APP or A?, said analogs being capable of inducing antibody production against the autologous amyloidogenic polypeptides. Especially preferred as an immunogen is autologous A? which has been modified by introduction of one single or a few foreign, immunodominant and promiscuous T-cell epitopes. Such methods and means include methods for the preparation of analogs and pharmaceutical formulations, as well as nucleic acid fragments, vectors, transformed cells, polypeptides and pharmaceutical formulations.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions and methods for producing dendritic cells and particularly to compositions and methods for producing immature dendritic cells that are immunocompetent. We describe a method of producing dendritic cells by cultivation of monocytes, characterised by at least one of: pre-treatment of a tissue culture surface with at least one of: a substantially plasma-free and serum-free pre-treatment medium, a pre-treatment medium comprising heparin, and a pre-treatment medium comprising a protein solution; adsorption of monocytes using at least one of: a substantially plasma-free and serum-free adsorption medium; cultivation of monocytes using a substantially plasma-free and serum-free cultivation medium. We also describe compositions including the dentritic cells and uses of the dentritic cells.

Abstract: Disclosed are novel methods and compositions for combating diseases characterized by deposition of amyloid. The methods generally rely on immunization against amyloid precursor protein (APP) or beta amyloid (A?). Immunization is preferably effected by administration of analogues of autologous APP or A?, said analogues being capable of inducing antibody production against the autologous amyloidogenic polypeptides. Especially preferred as an immunogen is autologous A? which has been modified by introduction of one single or a few foreign, immunodominant and promiscuous T-cell epitopes. Such methods and means include methods for the preparation of analogues and pharmaceutical formulations, as well as nucleic acid fragments, vectors, transformed cells, polypeptides and pharmaceutical formulations.

Abstract: Disclosed are novel methods for combating diseases characterized by deposition of amyloid. The methods generally rely on immunization against amyloidogenic proteins (proteins contributing to formation of amyloid) such as beta amyloid (A?). Immunization is preferably effected by administration of analogues of autologous amyloidogenic polypeptides, said analogues being capable of inducing antibody production against the autologous amyloidogenic polypeptides. Especially preferred as an immunogen is autologous A? which has been modified by introduction of one single or a few foreign, immunodominant and promiscuous T-cell epitopes while substantially preserving the majority of A?'s B-cell epitopes. Also disclosed are nucleic acid vaccination against amyloidogenic polypeptides and vaccination using live vaccines as well as methods and means useful for the vaccination.

Abstract: Disclosed are novel methods for combating diseases characterized by deposition of amyloid. The methods generally rely on immunization against amyloidogenic proteins (proteins contributing to formation of amyloid) such as beta amyloid (A?). Immunization is preferably effected by administration of analogues of autologous amyloidogenic polypeptides, said analogues being capable of inducing antibody production against the autologous amyloidogenic polypeptides. Especially preferred as an immunogen is autologous A? which has been modified by introduction of one single or a few foreign, immunodominant and promiscuous T-cell epitopes while substantially preserving the majority of A?'s B-cell epitopes. Also disclosed are nucleic acid vaccination against amyloidogenic polypeptides and vaccination using live vaccines as well as methods and means useful for the vaccination.

Abstract: A method for in vivo down-regulation of amyloid protein in an animal, including a human being, the method comprising effecting presentation to the animal's immune system of an immunogenically effective amount of at least one amyloidogenic polypeptide or subsequence thereof which has been formulated so that immunization of the animal with the amyloidgenic polypeptide or subsequence thereof induces production of antibodies against the amyloidogenic polypeptide, and/or at least one analogue of the amyloidogenic polypeptide wherein is introduced at least one modification in the amino acid sequence of the amyloidogenic polypeptide which has as a result the immunization of the animal with the analogue induces production of antibodies against the amyloidogenic polypeptide.

Abstract: A modified human TNF? molecule is capable of raising neutralizing antibodies towards unmodified human TNF? following administration of the modified TNF? to a human host, wherein one or more peptide fragments of the human TNF? molecule has been substituted by one or more peptides containing immunodominant T cell epitopes or a truncated form of the molecule containing the immunodominant epitope and one or both flanking regions of the human TNF?-molecule containing at least one TNF? B cell epitope, wherein the substitution introduces a substantial change in the amino acid sequence of any one of the strands of the front ?-sheet, in any one of the connecting loops, or in any one of the B?, I, or D strands of the back ?-sheet.

Abstract: Disclosed are novel methods for combatting diseases characterized by deposition of amyloid. The methods generally rely on immunization against amyloid precursor protien (APP) or beta amyloid (A&bgr;). Immunization is preferably effected by administration of analogues of autologous APP or A&bgr;, said analogues being capable of inducing antibody production against the autologous amyloidogenic polypeptides. Especially preferred as an immunogen is autologous A&bgr; which has been modified by introduction of one single or a few foreign, immunodominant and promiscuous T-cell epitopes. Also disclosed are nucleic acid vaccination against APP or A&bgr; and vaccination using live vaccines as well as methods and means useful for the vaccination. Such methods and means include methods for the preparation of analogues and pharmaceutical formulations, as well as nucleic acid fragments, vectors, transformed cells, polypeptides and pharmaceutical formulations.

Abstract: Disclosed are novel methods for combatting diseases characterized by deposition of amyloid. The methods generally rely on immunization against amyloidogenic proteins (proteins contributing to formation of amyloid) such as beta amyloid (A&bgr;). Immunization is preferably effected by administration of analogues of autologous amyloidogenic polypeptides, said analogues being capable of inducing antibody production against the autologous amyloidogenic polypeptides. Especially preferred as an immunogen is autologous A&bgr; which has been modified by introduction of one single or a few foreign, immunodominant and promiscuous T-cell epitopes while substantially preserving the majority of A&bgr;'s B-cell epitopes. Also disclosed are nucleic acid vaccination against amyloidogenic polypeptides and vaccination using live vaccines as well as methods and means useful for the vaccination.

Abstract: Biologically active peptides and nucleic acids are identified by a method comprising the following steps: (a) production of a pool of appropriate vectors each containing totally or partly random DNA sequences, (b) efficient transduction of said vectors into a number of identical eukaryotic cells in such a way that a single ribonucleic acid and possibly peptide is expressed or a limited number of different random ribonucleic acids and peptides are expressed by each cell, (c) screening of said transduced cells to see whether some of them have changed a certain phenotypic trait, (d) selection and cloning of said changed cells, (e) isolation and sequencing of the vector DNA in said phenotypically changed cells, and (f) deducing the ribonucleic acid and peptide sequences from the DNA sequence. The peptide sequences may be introduced into or fused to a larger protein, preferably an antibody molecule or a fragment thereof.

Abstract: A method for in vivo down-regulation of amyloid protein in an animal, including a human being, the method comprising effecting presentation to the animal's immune system of an immunogenically effective amount of at least one amyloidogenic polypeptide or subsequence thereof which has been formulated so that immunization of the animal with the amyloidgenic polypeptide or subsequence thereof induces production of antibodies against the amyloidogenic polypeptide, and/or at least one analogue of the amyloidogenic polypeptide wherein is introduced at least one modification in the amino acid sequence of the amyloidogenic polypeptide which has as a result the immunization of the animal with the analogue induces production of antibodies against the amyloidogenic polypeptide.

Abstract: A library is composed of viral vectors in which each of the vectors (a) involves a peptide expression cassette containing a random nucleotide sequence, (b) transduces a eukaryotic cell to allow expression of the random nucleotide sequence, and (c) is produced by (i) conventional random oligonucleotide synthesis or (ii) random codon synthesis where codons encode an even distribution of random amino acids.