Abstract: Methods for measuring transporter activity using budding baculoviruses that do not express endogenous transporters on their envelope have a low background level and can measure the target activity with a high sensitivity. Such methods can be used to measure functional changes due to transporter SNPs over a more extensive range of substrates, and can be applied to tailor-made therapies.

Abstract: The invention relates to a modified antibody which contains two or more H chain V regions and two or more L chain V regions of monoclonal antibody and can transduce a signal into cells by crosslinking a cell surface molecule(s) to thereby serve as an agonist. The modified antibody can be used as a signal transduction agonist and, therefore, useful as a preventive and/or remedy for various diseases such as cancer, inflammation, hormone disorders and blood diseases.

Abstract: The present invention discloses reshaped antibody to human medulloblastoma cells comprising: (A) an L chain comprising: (1) a human L chain C region, and (2) an L chain V region comprising human L chain FRs and L chain CDRs of mouse monoclonal antibody ONS-M21 to human medulloblastoma cells; and, (B) an H chain containing: (1) a human H chain C region, and (2) an H chain V region comprising human H chain FRs and H chain CDRs of mouse monoclonal antibody ONS-M21 to human medulloblastoma cells. Since the majority of this reshaped human antibody is derived from a human antibody and mouse CDRs have a low level of antigenicity, the reshaped human antibody of the present invention has a low level of antigenicity in humans, and is therefore expected to be useful as a therapeutic agent and diagnostic tool for brain tumors such as medulloblastoma which strongly express antigen that is recognized by this antibody.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of producing a recombinant protein, particularly an antibody, using a cell in which the function of a fucose transporter is inhibited, and it also provides a cell in which the expression of fucose transporter genes on both homologous chromosomes is artificially suppressed.

Abstract: A reshaped human antibody to the human IL-6R, comprising: (A) an L chain comprising, (1) a human L chain C region, and (2) an L chain V region comprising human L chain framework regions (FRs), and mouse L chain complementary determination regions (CDRs) of a momoclonal antibody to the IL-6 receptor (IL-6R); and (B) an H chain comprising, (1) a human H chain C region, and (2) an H chain V region comprising human H chain FRS, and mouse H chain CDRs of a monoclonal antibody to the IL-6R. Since major portion of the reshaped human antibody is derived from a human antibody and the mouse CDRs which are less immunogenic, the present reshaped human antibody is less immunogenic to human, and therefor is promised for therapeutic uses.

Abstract: To identify antigens of the 2D7 antibody, the present inventors cloned the 2D7 antigen. As a result, the 2D7 antibody was found to recognize HLA class IA. In addition, the present inventors examined whether the 2D7 antibody has cell death-inducing activity. Nuclei fragmentation was observed when the 2D7 antibody was cross-linked with another antibody, indicating that cell-death was induced. Further, diabodies of the 2D7 antibody were found to have very strong cell death-inducing activities, even without the addition of another antibody. These results indicate that minibodies of an HLA-recognizing antibody can be used as cell death-inducing agents.

Abstract: The present invention provides tandem diabodies and triabodies against TRAIL receptors, wherein the tandem diabodies and triabodies exhibit greater cytotoxicity as single molecules than whole IgG antibodies. The present invention demonstrates that antibodies that enhance polymerization are useful when aiming to induce cell apoptosis via receptors such as TRAIL receptors, which require polymerization of receptor molecules on the surface of cell membranes to transduce cell death signals.

Abstract: An objective of the present invention is to facilitate the acquisition of antibody-producing cells that are infiltrating virus-infected cells, cancer cells, abnormal cells forming a benign hyperplasia, and the like, and to improve the efficiency of the production of antibodies as well as nucleic acids encoding them from the antibody-producing cells. The present inventors discovered that, when cancer tissues comprising infiltrating lymphocytes are transplanted into highly immunodeficient animals that do not have T cells, B cells, and NK cells and further exhibit a low IFN production ability, the differentiation and proliferation of infiltrating lymphocytes are unexpectedly promoted, and the number of plasma cells that produce antibodies recognizing cancer tissues increases dramatically, plasma cells can be separated easily, and antibodies or nucleic acids encoding them can be easily prepared from the plasma cells.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of producing a recombinant protein particularly an antibody using a cell in which the function of a fucose transporter is inhibited. According to the present invention, a cell in which the expression of fucose transporter genes on both homologous chromosomes is artificially suppressed is provided.

Abstract: Revealed are that the actions of inflammatory cytokine and the production of inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1 and TNF induced by an inflammatory stimulus as well as the production of other inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6 induced by the former class of inflammatory cytokines are all suppressed by inhibiting the signal transduction through TAK1.

Abstract: The present invention relates to humanized antibodies binding to CD47; diabodies binding to human CD47, characterized in that a disulfide bond exists between diabody-forming fragments; genes encoding any one of said antibodies; vectors containing said genes; host cells containing said vectors; processes for preparing antibodies comprising the step of culturing said host cells; and therapeutic agents for hematological disorders comprising said antibodies.

Abstract: A method, vector, and kit are provided for selectively isolating genes encoding membrane-bound proteins by fusing proteins to a secretable protein having a binding affinity to an antigen (e.g., an antibody), expressing these fusions in host cells, and selectively isolating individual host cells by their ability to bind the antigen via the fusion protein. Host cells expressing fusion proteins that do not contain a membrane binding domain will be relatively unable to bind the antigen, since the fusion proteins in those cells are secreted and unattached to their host cells. The method, vector, and kit disclosed herein are particularly useful for identifying genes for membrane-bound proteins represented in cDNA libraries.

Abstract: Anti-human Mp1 antibodies were isolated and purified, and then single-chain anti-human Mp1 antibodies were prepared using genetic engineering techniques. The antibodies were found to exhibit a high agonistic activity. This shows that the activity of an antibody can be enhanced by making the antibody into a single-chain polypeptide that comprises two or more heavy chain variable regions and two or more light chain variable regions linked via linkers.

Abstract: Disclosed is a cholangiocarcinoma cell growth inhibitor comprising an anti-glypican-3 antibody as an active ingredient. Preferably, the anti-glypican-3 antibody has a cytotoxic activity such as an antibody-dependent cytotoxic (ADCC) activity and a complement-dependent cytotoxic (CDC) activity. Also disclosed is a diagnostic agent for diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma comprising an anti-glypican-3 antibody.

Abstract: The present inventors constructed a DNA expression vector encoding 2D7sc(Fv)2 in which the heavy chain variable region sequence (VH) and the light chain variable region sequence (VL) of the 2D7 antibody is arranged in the order of VH-VL-VH-VL, and these sequences are linked by a 15-mer linker. The vector was introduced into CHO cells and a 2D7sc(Fv)2-producing expression cell line was established. When 2D7sc(Fv)2 was expressed in this cell line, purified, and cell death-inducing experiments performed, 2D7sc(Fv)2 was found to have a concentration-dependent cell death-inducing activity.

Abstract: Purified immunocytes were analyzed for expression frequencies, and the NKIR gene expressed specifically in natural killer (NK) cells was successfully identified. The NKIR gene encodes a receptor. Agonists and antagonists for the receptor can be identified by using the receptor.

Abstract: Provided is a cell growth inhibitor that can be used for treating diseases based on abnormal cell proliferation, and in particular cancer. The cell growth inhibitor contains an anti-glypican 3 antibody as an active ingredient.

Abstract: An antibody (anti-HM1.24 antibody) against HM1.24 antigen in which the alteration of sugar chains resulted in enhanced antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), specifically an antibody having a sugar chain that does not contain ?-1,6 core fucose, an antibody having a sugar chain that contains a bisecting N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) structure, or an antibody having a sugar chain that does not contain ?-1,6 core fucose and having a sugar chain that contains a bisecting N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) structure.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for and a method of thixocasting a cast iron, that can effectively prevent the scale from mixing in the die (cavity) thereby to obtain sound iron castings having good mechanical properties. The apparatus includes at least a pair of dies that can freely opened and closed to define a cavity to be filled under a pressure, and an injector that injects the semi-molten iron into the cavity through a hole in a gate at the entry of the cavity so as to throttle the entry. The gate is a separate member disposed at the entry of the cavity every time an injection casting operation is carried out and is taken out together with the casting after the injection casting operation.

Abstract: CD22 diabodies, in which heavy-chain and light-chain variable regions are linked by a 5-mer linker, were produced based on known sequence information for two types of anti-CD22 antibodies. The two diabodies produced were analyzed for their activity of binding to lymphoma cells and inducing lymphoma cell death (apoptosis). As a result, both diabodies were revealed to bind to the B-lymphoma cell line, “Raji”, and to have apoptosis-inducing activity towards Raji cells as well as towards another B-lymphoma cell line: Daudi cells. These results show that minibodies of antibodies that recognize CD22 can be used as apoptosis-inducing agents for tumor cells such as lymphoma cells.