Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a cell that can exhibit physiological activity based on galectin-9, a method for producing the cell, and use of the cell. In order to achieve the above object, the cell of the present invention contains galectin-9, and the galectin-9 is expressed on a cell surface.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a cell that can exhibit physiological activity based on galectin-9, a method for producing the cell, and use of the cell. In order to achieve the above object, the cell of the present invention contains galectin-9, and the galectin-9 is expressed on a cell surface.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a cell that can exhibit physiological activity based on galectin-9, a method for producing the cell, and use of the cell. In order to achieve the above object, the cell of the present invention contains galectin-9, and the galectin-9 is expressed on a cell surface.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a cell that can exhibit physiological activity based on galectin-9, a method for producing the cell, and use of the cell. In order to achieve the above object, the cell of the present invention contains galectin-9, and the galectin-9 is expressed on a cell surface.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a cell that can exhibit physiological activity based on galectin-9, a method for producing the cell, and use of the cell. In order to achieve the above object, the cell of the present invention contains galectin-9, and the galectin-9 is expressed on a cell surface.

Abstract: A recombinant galectin 9 (rGal 9) is provided which exhibits an immune system-mediated action and a direct action on tumor cells (i.e., activity of inducing the intercellular adhesion and apoptosis of the tumor cells), thereby potent in inducing the inhibition of cancer metastasis and reduction. Moreover, the rGal 9 exerts no efficacy on non-activated lymphocytes but can induce apoptosis in activated T cells, in particular, CD4-positive T cells causing an excessive immune response.

Abstract: A recombinant galectin 9 (rGal 9) is provided which exhibits an immune system-mediated action and a direct action on tumor cells (i.e., activity of inducing the intercellular adhesion and apoptosis of the tumor cells), thereby potent in inducing the inhibition of cancer metastasis and reduction. Moreover, the rGal 9 exerts no efficacy on non-activated lymphocytes but can induce apoptosis in activated T cells, in particular, CD4-positive T cells causing an excessive immune response.

Abstract: It is suggested that recombinant galectin 9 (rGal 9), produced in host Escherichia coli, exhibits an immune system-mediated action and a direct action on tumor cells (i.e., activity of inducing the intercellular adhesion and apoptosis of the tumor cells), thereby potent in inducing the inhibition of cancer metastasis and reduction. Moreover, the rGal 9 exerts no efficacy on non-activated lymphocytes but can induce apoptosis in activated T cells, in particular, CD4-positive T cells causing an excessive immune response. The rGal 9 has a further potent apoptosis-inducing property on synovial cells participating in joint deformation in rheumatism, etc. In the rGal 9, however, a link domain linking two CRDs is highly susceptible to protease and, therefore, is very easily digestible with the enzyme, thereby losing the above activities. Thus, there is a need for a more stabilized molecule in view of further studies.

Abstract: It is suggested that recombinant galectin 9 (rGal 9), produced in host Escherichia coli, exhibits an immune system-mediated action and a direct action on tumor cells (i.e., activity of inducing the intercellular adhesion and apoptosis of the tumor cells), thereby potent in inducing the inhibition of cancer metastasis and reduction. Moreover, the rGal 9 exerts no efficacy on non-activated lymphocytes but can induce apoptosis in activated T cells, in particular, CD4-positive T cells causing an excessive immune response. The rGal 9 has a further potent apoptosis-inducing property on synovial cells participating in joint deformation in rheumatism, etc. In the rGal 9, however, a link domain linking two CRDs is highly susceptible to protease and, therefore, is very easily digestible with the enzyme, thereby losing the above activities. Thus, there is a need for a more stabilized molecule in view of further studies.

Abstract: Galectin 9, which is an immune function-controlling factor belonging to a new class that is different from known cytokines and is expected to be used as a therapeutic drug for various immune-related diseases such as an autoimmune disease, has disadvantages (such as high sensitivity to protease and poor solubility) to be solved in developing therapeutic drugs. Therefore, there is a need to overcome these disadvantages. Chemically modified galectin 9, prepared by conjugating a polymer (for example, poly(ethylene glycol: PEG) to galectin 9, in particular, stabilized galectin 9, is verified to exert higher solubility with improvements in pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics (for example, prolongation of action potential duration, such as prolongation of blood half-life and others) and in suppression of hemagglutination and thus has excellent characteristics as a drug.

Abstract: By disclosing part of metastasis mechanisms in cancer cells, the metastatic potential of cancer cells will be determinable. Anti-galectin-9 Ab against galectin-9 is contained as an effective component with or without others, thereby enabling the evaluation or detection of galectin-9 expression levels in cancer cells wherein the metastatic potential of the cancer cells can be assessed or detected.

Abstract: Recombinant galectin 8 (rGal 8), produced in host Escherichia coli, exerts hemagglutinating activity, neutrophil adhesion inducing activity, integrin ?M-binding activity, proMMP-9 binding activity, active form MMP-9 production promoting activity, superoxide production promoting activity, apoptosis inducing activity for a particular cell, suppressive or inhibitory activity against the metastasis/invasion of tumor cells, etc. In the rGal 8, however, a link domain linking two CRDs is highly susceptible to protease and, therefore, is very easily digestible with the enzyme, thereby losing the above activities. Thus, there is a need for a more stabilized molecule in view of further studies. Modification of the link domain linking two CRDs in galectin 8 provides a modified molecule having an elevated activity without any undesirable effects on the above activities.

Abstract: It has been disclosed that Galectin 9, which is a physiologically active substance acting as a lectin, is expressed in various cells and a correlationship is observed between the expression level of galectin 9 and the metastatic ability of tumors. Therefore, it is presumed that galectin 9 would relate to various physiological phenomena. Thus, a substance allowing the control of galectin 9 production and release is expected as exerting an activity of inducing antitumor and/or anti-inflammatory actions, etc. Therefore, it is required to reveal the same. It has been found that a factor inducing the production and release of galectin 9, “galectin 9-inducing factor”, is contained in a certain solubilized tumor cell membrane fraction. This factor can be obtained as a concanavalin A-adsorbed fraction and as a concentrated active fraction by fractionation with an ion exchange column packed with Resource Q®, a hydroxyapatite column, etc. Assay reagents, drugs, assays, etc.

Abstract: Galectin 9 exerts various functions depending on its localizations. On the other hand, galectin 9 is expected as participating in various biological functions. Thus, it has been required to clarify the detailed biological activities of galectin 9 and develop galectin 9-related techniques including development of drugs. Human galectin 9 shows a cytotoxic activity and an apoptosis-inducing activity on tumor cells but shows neither cytotoxic activity nor apoptosis-inducing activity on normal cells. Therefore, it is possible to employ galectin 9 proteins, galectin 9 agonists, galectin 9 antagonists, anti-galectin 9 binding protein antibodies, anti-galectin 9 binding sugar chain antibodies, galectin 9-producing, releasing or inducing substances, etc. as antitumor, antiallergic, immunosuppressive agents, drugs for autoimmune diseases, anti-inflammatory agents and active ingredients for adrenocortical steroid hormone alternatives.

Abstract: Although adjuvant, or additional, therapy after surgery (e.g., adjuvant, or additional, hormonal therapy after breast cancer surgery) is performed to prevent postoperative recurrence of malignant tumors such as breast cancer, the incidence of disease recurrence still remains even if a representative drug, tamoxifen, commonly used is given. Thus, if it is possible to predict whether malignant tumors are reliably curable with tamoxifen or whether therapeutic drugs other than tamoxifen should be selected or not against such malignant tumors, it will greatly assist in the therapeutic guideline for preventing postoperative recurrence. There is a possibility that menin regulates the ER transcription activity in breast cancer cells. The expression of menin is remarkably responsible for the efficacy of estrogen antagonists (e.g., tamoxifen) having an inhibitory activity on estrogen binding to the ER. Techniques utilizing the present findings are provided.

Abstract: By disclosing part of metastasis mechanisms in cancer cells, the metastatic potential of cancer cells will be determinable. Anti-galectin-9 Ab against galectin-9 is contained as an effective component with or without others, thereby enabling the evaluation or detection of galectin-9 expression levels in cancer cells wherein the metastatic potential of the cancer cells can be assessed or detected.

Abstract: An eosinophil chemotactic factor which is constantly secreted by a T cell clone STO-2 is partially purified and a specific antibody was generated. Using this antibody, a DNA library derived from the clone was screened to find that ecalectin, a galectin consisting of 323 amino acids has a specific eosinophil chemotactic activity. Use of the galectin makes it possible to provide an agent having an effect of increasing eosinophils in a tissue, and a method for screening compounds inhibiting the effect. Moreover, an agent containing as an effective ingredient a compound that inhibits eosinophil increase in a tissue, is effective as therapeutic, preventive or ameliorative agents for various allergic diseases, such as bronchial asthma, allergic rhinitis, eosinophilic tympanitis, nasal polyp, eosinophilic pneumonia, and atopic dermatitis, which are typical delayed inflammatory diseases attributed to eosmophils.

Abstract: The invention provides a neutrophil chemotactic lymphokine having an isoelectric point at 6.8-7.0, a cell line producing the lymphokine, and an agent for diagnosing drug-induced granulocytopenia, which comprises the lymphokine. When the diagnostic agent according to the invention is used for a patient, whether the patient has a possibility that drug-induced granulocytopenia may be caused or not can be diagnosed prior to the administration of a drug. Therefore, the patient can be safely treated without causing any side effect.