Abstract: Microvesicles are small membrane vesicles that either shed or bud off eukarotic cells. Analysis of the nucleic acid content of microvesicles may be useful in detecting the presence or absence of genetic aberrations. This invention discloses novel methods of diagnosing, prognosing, monitoring, or treating a disease, such as cancer, or other medical condition in a subject involving analyzing one or more nucleic acids contained within an isolated microvesicle for the presence or absence of one or more Kras genetic aberrations.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods to produce extracellular vesicles such as microvesicles that contain therapeutic molecules. Such therapeutic molecules can be nucleic acid or protein or combinations thereof. Methods to deliver the therapeutic molecules to a cell are also disclosed. Therapeutic methods of treatment of disease such as cancer by delivering conditionally a lethal molecule to the cancer cells by administering microvesicles are also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a first nucleic acid sequence 5?-ACCCTGCCGCCTGGACTCCGCCTGT-3? (SEQ ID NO: 22), or a functional variant thereof, operably linked to a second, heterologous nucleic acid sequence. The isolated nucleic acid molecule can be DNA (in an expression vector) and RNA (mRNA, shRNA, orncRNA). Also disclosed is a microvesicle comprising the nucleic acid molecule and a microvesicle preparation comprising the microvesicle. Also disclosed is an in vitro method of producing a microvesicle preparation enriched for a specific RNA sequence by transfecting cells with the nucleic acid sequence, and isolating microvesicles generated therefrom. Methods of delivering therapeutic RNA to a subject are also disclosed.

Abstract: Described herein are compositions and methods for treating, inhibiting, preventing, reducing the severity of and/or reducing the progression of schwannoma, as well as any disease or physiological disease-state in which schwannoma plays a role. The compositions comprise an rAAV vector that includes a caspase-1 gene or a variant thereof and a Schwann cell specific promoter.

Abstract: The presently disclosed subject matter is directed to methods of aiding diagnosis, prognosis, monitoring and evaluation of a disease or other medical condition in a subject by detecting a biomarker in microvesicles isolated from a biological sample from the subject.

Abstract: The presently disclosed subject matter is directed to methods of aiding diagnosis, prognosis, monitoring and evaluation of a disease or other medical condition in a subject by detecting a biomarker in microvesicles isolated from a biological sample from the subject.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed herein for assaying a biological sample or a bodily fluid obtained from a subject by isolating, obtaining or using a microvesicle fraction from the biological sample or bodily fluid and detecting in the microvesicle fraction the presence or absence of a genetic aberration in an IDH1, IDH2, TP53, PTEN, CDKN2A, NF1, EGFR, RB1, PIK3CA, or BRAF gene. The methods may be used for aiding the diagnosis, prognosis, monitoring, or therapy selection in relation to a disease or other medical condition (e.g., a glioma) in a subject.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods for assaying a biological sample from a subject by analyzing components of microvesicle fractions in aid of risk, diagnosis, prognosis or monitoring of or directing treatment of the subject for, a disease or other medical condition in the subject. Also disclosed are methods of treatment and identifying biomarkers using a microvesicle fraction of a subject. Kits, pharmaceutical compositions, and profiles related to the methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention concerns gene signatures obtained from microvesicles and a method of applying these gene signatures in helping to determine a biological condition. The determination of a biological condition may aid, for example, the diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy treatment selection for a disease in a subject.

Abstract: Microvesicles are small membrane vesicles that either shed or bud off eukarotic cells. Analysis of the nucleic acid content of microvesicles may be useful in detecting the presence or absence of genetic aberrations. This invention discloses novel methods of diagnosing, prognosing, monitoring, or treating a disease, such as cancer, or other medical condition in a subject involving analyzing one or more nucleic acids contained within an isolated microvesicle for the presence or absence of one or more Kras genetic aberrations.

Abstract: The presently disclosed subject matter is directed to methods of aiding diagnosis, prognosis, monitoring and evaluation of a disease or other medical condition in a? subject by detecting a biomarker in microvesicles isolated from a biological, sample from the subject. Moreover, disclosed subject matter is directed to methods of diagnosis, monitoring a disease by determining the concentration of microvesicles within a biological sample; methods of delivering a nucleic acid or protein to a target all by administering microvesicles that contain said nucleic acid or protein; methods for performing a body fluid transfusion by introducing a microvesicle-free or microvesicle enriched fluid fraction into a patient.

Abstract: The presently disclosed subject matter is directed to methods of aiding diagnosis, prognosis, monitoring and evaluation of a disease or other medical condition in a subject by detecting a biomarker in microvesicles isolated from a biological sample from the subject.

Abstract: The presently disclosed subject matter is directed to methods of aiding diagnosis, prognosis, monitoring and evaluation of a disease or other medical condition in a subject by detecting a biomarker in microvesicles isolated from a biological sample from the subject.

Abstract: The present invention is based upon a surprising finding that stem cells, more particularly neural stem cells, can migrate throughout a brain tumor and track metastatic brain tumor cells. The invention provides a method for treating brain tumors by administering genetically engineered neural stem cells in an individual affected by brain tumors. The invention also provides a method of preparing genetically engineered neural stem cells and a composition comprising genetically engineered neural stem cells in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of cellular and molecular therapy with modified (genetically or growth factor engineered) and unmodified stem cells (SCs). More particularly, the invention relates to a method of systemic treatment of central nervous system (CNS) and other tumors in both intracranial/intraspinal and extracranial/extraspinal sites, using neural stem cells (NSCs), a prototype for solid organ, non-hematopoietic stem cells.

Abstract: One of the impediments to the treatment of some human brain tumors (e.g. gliomas) has been the degree to which they expand, migrate widely, and infiltrate normal tissue. We demonstrate that a clone of multipotent neural progenitor stem cells, when implanted into an experimental glioma, will migrate along with and distribute themselves throughout the tumor in juxtaposition to widely expanding and aggressively advancing tumor cells, while continuing to express a foreign reporter gene. Furthermore, drawn somewhat by the degenerative environment created just beyond the infiltrating tumor edge, the neural progenitor cells migrate slightly beyond and surround the invading tumor border. When implanted at a distant sight from the tumor bed (e.g., into normal tissue, into the contralateral hemisphere, into the lateral ventricles) the donor neural progenitor/stem cells will migrate through normal tissue and specifically target the tumor cells.

Abstract: The present invention is based upon a surprising finding that stem cells, more particularly neural stem cells, can migrate throughout a brain tumor and track metastatic brain tumor cells. The invention provides a method for treating brain tumors by administering genetically engineered neural stem cells in an individual affected by brain tumors. The invention also provides a method of preparing genetically engineered neural stem cells and a composition comprising genetically engineered neural stem cells in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of detecting mutations and polymorphisms in the torsin gene, torsin-related genes, methods of detecting neuronal diseases mediated by these mutations and polymorphisms and nucleic acids used in these methods.

Abstract: Familial dysautonomia (FD), the Riley-Day syndrome, is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by developmental loss of neurons from the sensory and autonomic nervous system. It is limited to the Ashkenazi Jewish population, where the carrier frequency is 1 in 30. We have mapped the FD gene to the chromosome region 9q31-q33 by linkage with ten DNA markers in twenty-six families. The maximum lod score of 21.1 with no recombinants was achieved with D9S58. This marker also showed strong linkage disequilibrium with FD, with one allele present on 73% of all affected chromosomes compared to 5.4% of control chromosomes (X2=3142, 15 d.f. p<0.0001). The other nine markers, distributed within 23 cM proximal or distal to D9S58, also yielded significant linkage to FD. D9S53 and D9S105 represent the closest flanking markers for the disease gene. This localization will permit prenatal diagnosis of FD in affected families.

Abstract: Methods of killing neoplastic cells are provided. The invention relates to the use of folylpolyglutamyl synthetase (FPGS) gene transfer to enhance the sensitivity of several types of tumor cells to polyglutamylatable antifolate drugs, such as methotrexate (MTX) and edatrexate (EDX).