Abstract: A compound or its salt inhibiting the activity of a protein having an amino acid sequence which is the same or substantially the same amino acid sequence as the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1, an extracellular domain of the protein above, an antibody, an antisense polynucleotide, etc. are usable as insulin-sensitizing agents and preventives and/or remedies for diabetes, obesity, hyperlipemia, arteriosclerosis, hypertension, heart disease, and so on.

Abstract: A compound or its salt inhibiting the activity of a protein having an amino acid sequence which is the same or substantially the same amino acid sequence as the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1, an extracellular domain of the protein above, an antibody, an antisense polynucleotide, etc. are usable as insulin-sensitizing agents and preventives and/or remedies for diabetes, obesity, hyperlipemia, arteriosclerosis, hypertension, heart disease, and so on.

Abstract: The betacellulin mutein or its salt of the present invention is useful for better therapeutic drug for diabetes. Since they have intact BTC activity and reduced EGF activity, and no antigenicity-related problems.

Abstract: Disclosed are (1) a polypeptide (I) including the following amino acid sequence (II) in a molecule thereof: TyrAlaGluHisLysSerHisArgGlyGluTyrSerValCys (II) AspSerGluSerLeuTrpValThrAspLysSerSerAlaIle spIleArgGlyHisGlnValThrValLeuGlyGluIleLys ThrGlyAsnSerProValLysGlnTyrPheTyrGluThrArg CysLysGluAlaArgProValLysAsnGlyCysArgGlyIle AspAspLysHisTrpAsnSerGlnCysLysThrSerGlnThr TyrValArgAlaLeuThrSerGluAsnAsnLysLeuValGly TrpArgTrpIleArgIleAspThrSerCysValCysAlaLeu SerArgLysIleGlyArg (2) a DNA sequence coding for the polypeptide described in (1), (3) a vector including the DNA described in (2), (4) a transformant transformed by the vector described in (3), and (5) a process for producing the polypeptide (I) which comprises cultivating the transformant described in (4) in a culture medium to produce and accumulate the polypeptide described in (1) in a culture.

Abstract: Disclosed are an antibody which have a binding activity to human betacellulin protein or a mutein thereof with specificity; especially a monoclonal antibody which does not have cross reactitivity with human epidermal growth factor (EGF) and human transforming growth factor a (TGF-&agr;), belongs to the immunoglobulin class of IgG, and,specifically binds to human betacellulin protein to neutralize biological activity thereof; a hybridoma for producing the monoclonal antibody; and a method for producing the monoclonal antibody. Said monoclonal antibody neutralizes biological activity of a human BTC protein, and bind to the protein with high sensitivity and specificity, so that they can be used as a therapeutic agent for diseases such as arterial sclerosis and cancers, and also used as a reagent for assaying the human BTC protein or a mutein thereof and as a diagnostic agent for diabetes or complications thereof.

Abstract: Human Nerve Growth Factor-2 (NGF-2, also known as Neurotrophin-3 or NT-3) has been found to promote the proliferation of peripheral blood leukocytes. The invention provides methods using hNGF-2 polypeptides in the treatment of neutropenia.

Abstract: A mutein of basic fibroblast growth factors (bFGF) possesses fibroblast growth promoting activity, growth stimulating activity of capillary endothelial cells and angiogenic activity, has high stability and is low toxicity. And therefore, the present mutein is advantageously used as a healing accelerator for burns etc., a therapeutic drug for thrombosis etc., and a cell cultivation promoter.

Abstract: Disclosed are (1) a mutein of a fibroblast growth factor (FGF), the DNA having introduced therein at least one nucleotide sequence coding for a glycosylation site, (2) a DNA coding for the mutein of (1), (3) a vector containing the DNA of (2), (4) a transformant transformed with the vector of (3), and (5) a process for producing the mutein which comprises cultivating in a culture medium the transformant of a yeast or animal cell transformed with a vector of (3), and producing and accumulating the mutein of (1) in the culture medium, whereby the FGF mutein into which at least one glycosylation site has been introduced is improved in productivity, stability and activities, and advantageously used as medicine.

Abstract: Disclosed are (1) a mutein of a fibroblast growth factor (FGF), the DNA having introduced therein at least one nucleotide sequence coding for a glycosylation site, (2) a DNA coding for the mutein of (1), (3) a vector containing the DNA of (2), (4) a transformant transformed with the vector of (3), and (5) a process for producing the mutein which comprises cultivating in a culture medium the transformant of a yeast or animal cell transformed with a vector of (3), and producing and accumulating the mutein of (1) in the culture medium, whereby the FGF mutein into which at least one glycosylation site has been introduced is improved in productivity, stability and activities, and advantageously used as medicine.

Abstract: An animal cell line transformed with an expression vector for an animal cell, the expression vector which contains a DNA segment comprising:(a) a DNA sequence coding for a signal peptide of an animal cell-derived protein,(b) a second DNA sequence coding for a different protein from the signal protein joined downstream of said signal peptide encoding DNA sequence without causing any reading frame shift, and(c) a promoter DNA sequence capable of functioning in an animal cell, wherein the promoter sequence is positioned upstream of the signal peptide encoding DNA sequence, can produce glycosylated proteins advantageously as secretable proteins.