Abstract: Provided is a therapeutic method exclusively targeting an amyloid ? protein (A?) having a specific turn structure of A?. Specifically provided is an antibody which specifically recognizes an amyloid ? having a turn structure at amino acids positions 22 and 23. Also provided are a medicinal composition comprising, as the active ingredient, an antibody specifically recognizing a toxic conformer of amyloid ?, an assay kit for a toxic conformer of amyloid ?, a diagnostic for Alzheimer's disease, etc.

Abstract: Provided is a therapeutic method exclusively targeting an amyloid ? protein (A?) having a specific turn structure of A?. Specifically provided is an antibody which specifically recognizes an amyloid ? having a turn structure at amino acids positions 22 and 23. Also provided are a medicinal composition comprising, as the active ingredient, an antibody specifically recognizing a toxic conformer of amyloid ?, an assay kit for a toxic conformer of amyloid ?, a diagnostic for Alzheimer's disease, etc.

Abstract: A neurocyte protective agent that is capable of alleviating mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress in neurocytes is provided. The neurocyte protective agent and the agent for protecting neurodegenerative diseases according to the present invention comprise astaxanthin and/or an ester thereof. In particular, the neurocyte protective agent of the present invention is effective in protecting against the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra and noradrenergic neurons of the locus ceruleus, and it is expected that ingestion of the neurocyte protective agent will serve as fundamental therapy for Parkinson's disease.

Abstract: A knockin nonhuman animal having a DNA wherein a region containing at least an exon of an MnSOD gene is interposed between two recombinase recognition sequences is disclosed. Further, a knockout nonhuman animal obtainable by mating a transgenic nonhuman animal expressing a recombinase in a specific tissue with the above knockin nonhuman animal, wherein an expression of manganese superoxide dismutase in the specific tissue is suppressed or deficient; and a nonhuman animal obtainable by further mating one of the above animals with the above knockout nonhuman animal, wherein manganese superoxide dismutase is specifically deficient in the specific tissue are disclosed.

Abstract: A pharmaceutical composition for alleviating tissue hypoxia, comprising

Abstract: A mouse CDNA encoding a protein comprising a serine/threonine protein kinase region was isolated by effecting PCR using a synthetic DNA corresponding to the kinase-conserved region as a primer and a rat cDNA as a template. A mouse cDNA library was screened using the DNA fragment thus obtained as a probe. The multiple human and mouse cDNAs having the similar structure to the isolated mouse cDNA were successfully isolated based on the sequence of the isolated mouse cDNA. An antisense DNA against the isolated mouse cDNA was synthesized, and its effect on a nerve cell was studied to confirm that the antisense DNA inhibits axonal elongation.