Abstract: The invention provides a method for detecting apoptosis in a myeloid cell comprising detecting an alteration in any one of: i) a Survivin polypeptide having an amino acid sequence as set out in SEQ ID NO: 1; ii) a polypeptide having at least 80% homology with i); iii) a nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide having the sequence set out in i) or ii); iv) a nucleic acid which hybridises under stringent conditions to the sequence set out in iii); or v) the complement of iii) or iv). The invention accordingly provides a method of modulating apoptosis in neutrophils by modulating Survivin gene expression and a method of treating inflammatory disease by modulating Survivin gene expression or function.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for detecting apoptosis in a cell comprising detecting a decrease in any one of: i) an ELAVL-1 (embryonic lethal, abnormal vision, Drosophila-like 1) polypeptide having an amino acid sequences as set out in SEQ ID NO: 1; ii) a polypeptide having at least 80% homology with i); iii) a nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide having the sequence set out in i) or ii); iv) a nucleic acid which hybridises under stringent conditions to the sequence set out in iii); or v) the complement of iii) or iv). The invention accordingly provides a method of modulating apoptosis by modulating ELAVL-1 gene expression and a method for identifying genes associated with ELAVL-1 gene expression and thus identifying other genes associated with apoptosis. The invention also provides a novel nucleic acid sequence encoding the promoter region for ELAVL-1.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for identifying a gene product which modulates the transition of a cell between a non-apoptopic state and an apoptopic state, comprising the steps of: (a) exposing the cell to an inhibitor of GM-CSF mediated inhibition of apoptosis; and (b) exposing the cell to one or more agents which increase tyrosine phosphorylation; and (c) C) placing the cell in conditions which permit it to undergo spontaneous apoptosis; and (d) monitoring the level(s) of expression of the one or more gene products in the cell; and (e) identifying gene product(s) whose expression has been increased, decreased or modified as a result of performing steps (a) to (d).

Abstract: The invention relates to a system for modelling ROS-induced apoptosis in a cell, said system comprising: a) the provision of a population of cells; b) the exposure of said cell population to one or more stimuli which lead the cell population to undergo ROS-induced apoptosis; c) optionally, the exposure of said cell population to one or more inhibitors of ROS-induced apoptosis; d) the analysis of gene expression in the cell population; and e) the assessment of the onset of apoptosis in said cell population; and methods for identifying genes associated with ROS-induced apoptosis using such a system.