Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for efficiently separating insoluble bodies of a recombinant protein from a recombinant cell expressing a target recombinant protein as insoluble bodies in the cell. The present invention provides a method for producing a recombinant protein aggregate by separating insoluble bodies of a recombinant protein from a recombinant cell expressing the recombinant protein as insoluble bodies in the cell, including disrupting the recombinant cell, aggregating the insoluble bodies of the recombinant protein, and separating the resulting aggregate.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for efficiently separating insoluble bodies of a recombinant protein from a recombinant cell expressing a target recombinant protein as insoluble bodies in the cell. The present invention provides a method for producing a recombinant protein aggregate by separating insoluble bodies of a recombinant protein from a recombinant cell expressing the recombinant protein as insoluble bodies in the cell, including disrupting the recombinant cell, aggregating the insoluble bodies of the recombinant protein, and separating the resulting aggregate.

Abstract: A polypeptide porous body of the present invention is a porous body of a polypeptide derived from spider silk proteins. The polypeptide includes a water-insoluble polypeptide. The polypeptide porous body has an apparent density of 0.1 g/cm3 or less. A method for producing the polypeptide porous body includes: a solution production step in which the polypeptide is dissolved in at least one solvent selected from DMSO, DMF, and these with an inorganic salt, so as to obtain a solution of the polypeptide; a step in which the solution produced in the solution production step is substituted with a water-soluble solvent so as to obtain a polypeptide gel; and a step in which the polypeptide gel is dried. Thereby, the present invention provides a polypeptide porous body having excellent water absorbability and a polypeptide porous body suitable for application to a living body, and a method for producing the same.

Abstract: A polypeptide hydrogel of the present invention is a hydrogel of a polypeptide derived from spider silk proteins, and has a moisture content of 85.0 to 99.9 mass % based on 100 mass % of the polypeptide hydrogel. A method for producing the hydrogel includes: a solution production step in which a polypeptide derived from spider silk proteins is dissolved in at least one dissolving solvent selected from the group consisting of: (A) dimethyl sulfoxide; (B) dimethyl sulfoxide with an inorganic salt; and (C) N, N-dimethylformamide with an inorganic salt, so as to obtain a solution of the polypeptide; and a substitution step in which the solution produced in the solution production step is substituted with a water-soluble solvent. Thus, the present invention provides a polypeptide hydrogel having excellent water retentivity and a polypeptide hydrogel suitable for application to a living body.

Abstract: Polypeptide particles of the present invention are particles of a polypeptide derived from spider silk proteins, and have an average particle size of 1000 nm or less. A method for producing polypeptide particles of the present invention includes: a solution production step in which the polypeptide is dissolved in at least one solvent selected from the group consisting of DMSO, DMF, and these with an inorganic salt, so as to obtain a solution of the polypeptide; a step in which the solution produced in the solution production step is substituted with a water-soluble solvent so as to obtain an aqueous solution of the polypeptide; and a step in which the aqueous solution of the polypeptide is dried. Thereby, the present invention provides polypeptide particles suitable for application to a living body and capable of being applied to cosmetics, etc., while identifying the properties of the polypeptide particles, and a method for producing the same.

Abstract: A polypeptide hydrogel of the present invention is a hydrogel of a polypeptide derived from spider silk proteins, and has a moisture content of 85.0 to 99.9 mass % based on 100 mass % of the polypeptide hydrogel. A method for producing the hydrogel includes: a solution production step in which a polypeptide derived from spider silk proteins is dissolved in at least one dissolving solvent selected from the group consisting of: (A) dimethyl sulfoxide; (B) dimethyl sulfoxide with an inorganic salt; and (C) N, N-dimethylformamide with an inorganic salt, so as to obtain a solution of the polypeptide; and a substitution step in which the solution produced in the solution production step is substituted with a water-soluble solvent. Thus, the present invention provides a polypeptide hydrogel having excellent water retentivity and a polypeptide hydrogel suitable for application to a living body.

Abstract: Polypeptide particles of the present invention are particles of a polypeptide derived from spider silk proteins, and have an average particle size of 1000 nm or less. A method for producing polypeptide particles of the present invention includes: a solution production step in which the polypeptide is dissolved in at least one solvent selected from the group consisting of DMSO, DMF, and these with an inorganic salt, so as to obtain a solution of the polypeptide; a step in which the solution produced in the solution production step is substituted with a water-soluble solvent so as to obtain an aqueous solution of the polypeptide; and a step in which the aqueous solution of the polypeptide is dried. Thereby, the present invention provides polypeptide particles suitable for application to a living body and capable of being applied to cosmetics, etc., while identifying the properties of the polypeptide particles, and a method for producing the same.

Abstract: A polypeptide porous body of the present invention is a porous body of a polypeptide derived from spider silk proteins. The polypeptide includes a water-insoluble polypeptide. The polypeptide porous body has an apparent density of 0.1 g/cm3 or less. A method for producing the polypeptide porous body includes: a solution production step in which the polypeptide is dissolved in at least one solvent selected from DMSO, DMF, and these with an inorganic salt, so as to obtain a solution of the polypeptide; a step in which the solution produced in the solution production step is substituted with a water-soluble solvent so as to obtain a polypeptide gel; and a step in which the polypeptide gel is dried. Thereby, the present invention provides a polypeptide porous body having excellent water absorbability and a polypeptide porous body suitable for application to a living body, and a method for producing the same.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for partially purifying a hydrophilic recombinant protein from a host expressing a hydrophilic recombinant protein. The method includes: a solution acquisition step in which a dissolving solvent is added to the host expressing a hydrophilic recombinant protein so as to dissolve the host cell and an insoluble substance is separated therefrom so as to obtain a solution. The hydrophilic recombinant protein has a hydropathy index of 0 or less, and the dissolving solvent is an aprotic polar solvent. Preferably, the solution is subjected to solvent substitution using an aqueous solvent.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for extracting a hydrophilic recombinant protein from a host expressing a hydrophilic recombinant protein. The method includes: a lysate acquisition step in which a dissolving solvent is added to the host expressing a hydrophilic recombinant protein so as to obtain a host cell lysate; and a step in which a diluting solvent is added to the host cell lysate obtained in the lysate acquisition step, an insoluble substance is separated from the obtained dilution, and a supernatant containing the hydrophilic recombinant protein is collected. The hydrophilic recombinant protein has a hydropathy index of 0 or less. The dissolving solvent is an aprotic polar solvent. The diluting solvent is an aqueous solvent.

Abstract: Lymphotoxin-producing human T-cell hybridomas are incubated in a medium containing phorbol myristate acetate, concanavalin-A or a mixture thereof, the resulting cells are fractionated by sucrose density-gradient centrifugation method to isolate a messenger RNA in 12.6S to 14.6S fractions, and a gene containing a part encoding a polypeptide having a lymphotoxin-activity is prepared from the messenger RNA. The gene is represented by the base sequence of the Table 1 as herein given. Using the present gene, a new lymphotoxin having the amino acid sequence (I) or (II) as given herein can be obtained by genetic engineering technology.

Abstract: Lymphotoxin-producing human T-cell hybridomas are incubated in a medium containing phorbol myristate acetate, concanavalin-A or a mixture thereof, the resulting cells are fractionated by sucrose density-gradient centrifugation method to isolate a messenger RNA in 12.6S to 14.6S fractions, and a gene containing a part encoding a polypeptide having a lymphotoxin-activity is prepared from the messenger RNA. The gene is represented by the nucleotide sequence of the Table 1 as herein given. Using the present gene, a new lymphotoxin having the amino acid sequence (I) or (II) as given herein can be obtained by genetic engineering technology.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a monoclonal antibody which specifically binds to a peptide having amino acid sequence (I) described below or having in part at least continuous 4 amino acid sequences of the amino acid sequence (I), and also to a process for producing a monoclonal antibody capable of specifically binding to the peptide represented by the following amino acid sequence:H-Y-Leu-Gly-Arg-X-Asp-Gly-Ser-Glu-OH (I)wherein X represents Glu or Gln and Y represents Trp or Arg.

Abstract: The present invention relates to physiologically active peptides and more particularly, to novel peptides having a specific amino acid sequence which possess a macrophage chemotactic activity.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a renal growth promoter based on the finding that luteinizing hormone or an isoform thereof has an effect of promoting renal growth.It was previnsly unknown that luteinizing hormone or an isoform thereof has an effect of promoting renal growth.With the present invention, it is expected that kidneys suffering from a decreased in the number of renal cells or a lowering in the renal function may be activated by administering luteinizing hormone or an isoform thereof.

Abstract: A novel N-acetylneuraminic acid derivative, represented by the general formula: ##STR1## wherein the R.sup.1 groups are, independently, hydrogen or acetyl; R.sup.2 is a nucleoside residue; and R.sup.3 is carboxyl or methoxycarbonyl.The N-acetylneuraminic acid derivative is useful in inhibiting metastasis of cancer cells. Also provided is a process for the preparation of the derivatives.

Abstract: A process for preparing human T cell hybridomas which are subculturable and produce lymphokines comprising the steps of: (1) treating a human acute leukemia cell with a protein and/or RNA synthesis inhibitor; (2) independently activating a human T cell with a mitogen or antigen; (3) fusing the thus-treated human acute leukemia cell with the thus-activated human T cell in the presence of a fusion accelerator; and (4) isolating the thus-formed hybridoma. An in vivo process for producing lymphokines using the hybridomas is also described.

Abstract: Nucleoside or glucose derivatives of N-acetylneuraminic acids are provided, which have immunological activity, are clinically useful, as an immuno suppressive, in particular to treat autoimmune disease such as collagenosis disease without causing any serious side-effects and may be prepared by subjecting a halide of N-acetylneuraminate derivative together with a nucleoside or a glucose to Koenigs-Knorr reaction.