Abstract: The present invention stems from the finding that the interaction between the ?2 adrenoceptor (?2AP) and type IV pilus-associated proteins initiates a process leading to the opening of the blood-brain barrier The invention therefore pertains to a vaccine for preventing the spreading of meningococci into the meningcal space, wherein said vaccine allows the production of antibodies inhibiting the interaction between the type IV pilus-associated proteins and the ?2AP.

Abstract: The present invention stems from the finding that the interaction between the ?2 adrenoceptor (?2AP) and type IV pilus-associated proteins initiates a process leading to the opening of the blood brain barrier. The invention therefore pertains to a vaccine for preventing the spreading of meningococci into the meningeal space, wherein said vaccine allows the production of antibodies inhibiting the interaction between the type IV pilus-associated proteins and the ?2AP.

Abstract: The present invention stems from the finding that the interaction between the ?2 adrenoceptor (?2AP) and type IV pilus-associated proteins initiates a process leading to the opening of the blood-brain barrier. The invention therefore pertains to a vaccine for preventing the spreading of meningococci into the meningeal space, wherein said vaccine allows the production of antibodies inhibiting the interaction between the type IV pilus-associated proteins and the ?2AP.

Abstract: The present invention stems from the finding that the interaction between the ?2 adrenoceptor (?2AP) and type IV pilus-associated proteins initiates a process leading to the opening of the blood-brain barrier. The invention therefore pertains to a vaccine for preventing the spreading of meningococci into the meningeal space, wherein said vaccine allows the production of antibodies inhibiting the interaction between the type IV pilus-associated proteins and the ?2AP.

Abstract: The present invention describes a method for producing membrane receptors based on a baculovirus/insect cell system. The invention further includes the receptors produced by the method described herein, a model for studying the properties of these membrane receptors and an assay to screen molecules that are active on these membrane receptors.

Abstract: A method of determining whether a membrane receptor expressed in recombinant extracellular baculoviruses is active, the method comprising: providing recombinant extracellular baculoviruses expressing a membrane receptor; contacting the extracellular baculoviruses with a ligand to the membrane receptor; and determining whether binding of the ligand to the receptor occurs, wherein said binding is an indication that the receptor is active.

Abstract: Method of producing a recombinant membrane receptor protein by introducing a baculovirus expression vector encoding the membrane receptor protein into a host cell, culturing the resultant host cell for a sufficient time to permit expression of the membrane receptor protein and baculovirus viral particles and separating the cells from the viral particles. The baculovirus viral particles are then recovered.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the intron and exon structure of the gene encoding ?3 adrenergic receptor polypeptides of mouse and human origin, which polypeptides are useful in a procedure for studying the effects of various chemical agents on the ?3 adrenergic receptor coupled to adenylate cyclase and hormone-sensitive lipases.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing membrane receptors based on a baculovirus/insect cell system. The invention further includes the receptors produced by the method described herein, a model for studying the properties of these membrane receptors and an assay to screen molecules that are active on these membrane receptors.

Abstract: Method for producing membrane receptors based on a baculovirus/insect cell system. The invention further includes the receptors produced by the method described herein, a model for studying the properties of these membrane receptors and an assay to screen molecules that are active on these membrane receptors.

Abstract: The invention relates to a vector capable of being replicated in cultures of unicellular organisms, this vector containing a gene coding for a eukaryotic protein having the biological activity of a membrane receptor and interacting with a regulatory protein—called the G protein—able to bind molecules of guanosine triphosphate (GTP). The invention also relates to cell organisms transformed by the above vectors. It also relates to procedures for the detection of the capacity of a molecule to behave as a ligand for a receptor and a procedure for studying the affinity of a receptor for a ligand as well as a kit for detecting the possible affinity of a ligand for a receptor.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the intron and exon structure of the gene encoding &bgr;3 adrenergic receptor polypeptides of mouse and human origin, which polypeptides are useful in a procedure for studying the effects of various chemical agents on the &bgr;3 adrenergic receptor coupled to adenylate cyclase and hormone-sensitive lipases.

Abstract: Disclosed are protein-protein interactions in adipocytes. Also disclosed are complexes of polypeptides or polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides, fragments of the polypeptides, antibodies to the complexes, Selected Interacting Domains (SID®) which are identified due to the protein-protein interactions, methods for screening drugs for agents which modulate the interaction of proteins and pharmaceutical compositions that are capable of modulating the protein-protein interactions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the intron and exon structure of the gene encoding &bgr;3 adrenergic receptor polypeptides of mouse and human origin, which polypeptides are useful in a procedure for studying the effects of various chemical agents on the &bgr;3 adrenergic receptor coupled to adenylate cyclase and hormone-sensitive lipases.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the intron and exon structure of the gene encoding &bgr;3 adrenergic receptor polypeptides of mouse and human origin, which polypeptides are useful in a procedure for studying the effects of various chemical agents on the &bgr;3 adrenergic receptor coupled to adenylate cyclase and hormone-sensitive lipases.

Abstract: Novel polypeptides having a .beta.-adrenergic receptor activity containing the sequence of 402 amino acids, or a fragment of this sequence, said fragment being such that, in particular, either it nonetheless includes the sites contained in said sequence and whose presence is necessary so that, when the fragment is exposed to the surface of a cell, it is capable of participating in the activation of the cyclase adenylate in the presence of an agonist, or it is likely to be recognized by antibodies which also recognize the above succession of 402 amino acids, but fail to recognize the .beta.1 adrenergic receptor and the .beta.2 adrenergic receptor. These polypeptides are useful for screening drugs which act on said polypeptides and for treating obesity, fat diabetes and hyperlipidemias.

Abstract: The invention relates to a vector capable of being replicated in cultures of unicellular organisms, this vector containing a gene coding for a eucaryotic protein having the biological activity of a membrane receptor and interacting with a regulatory protein--called the G protein--able to bind molecules of guanosine triphosphate (GTP). The invention also relates to cell organisms transformed by the above vectors. It also relates to procedures for the detection of the capacity of a molecule to behave as a ligand for a receptor and a procedure for studying the affinity of a receptor for a ligand as well as a kit for detecting the possible affinity of a ligand for a receptor.