Abstract:
The invention relates to the use of a deoxynojirimycin derivative, or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, for the preparation of a medicament for the treatment of insulin resistance, hyperpigmentation and/or inflammatory processes in the skin, a fungal disease, overweight and obesity, or a microbacterial infection.
Abstract:
The present invention to methods for producing mononuclear cells overexpressing IL-10. The method comprises the ex vivo introduction of an expression construct comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having IL-10 activity into peripheral blood mononuclear cells of a subject. The thus obtained peripheral blood mononuclear cells have an altered phenotype as a result of the expression of an introduced IL-10 transgene. In particular the invention relates to CD4+ T cells that functionally behave as regulatory T cells as a result of the expression of an IL-10 transgene. The IL-10 transgenic mononuclear cells may be used to treat a variety of inflammatory diseases, particularly T helper 1-mediated inflammatory diseases.
Abstract:
Disclosed are antagonists designed to inhibit or block expression of a mammalian complement component 8-alpha (C8-alpha). The invention has a wide range of uses including use in the preparation of a medicament for the enhancement of nerve regeneration following acute or chronic nerve damage in a mammal.
Abstract:
A process of producing an organic compoundand/or an intermediary compound as defined herein by feeding carbon dioxide to a culture of a cyanobacterial cell and subjecting said culture to light, wherein said cell is capable of expressing a nucleic acid molecule, wherein the expression of said nucleic acid molecule confer on the cell the ability to convert a glycolytic intermediate into said organic compound and/or into said intermediary compound and wherein said nucleic acid molecule is under the control of a regulatory system which responds to a change in the concentration of a nutrient in said culture.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to methods for inducing changes in epigenetic gene control in a chromatin domains in eukaryotic cells, and to nucleic acid constructs and host cells for use in such methods. The methods use nucleic acid constructs that are preferablyintegrated at a predetermined chromatin region of the host cell's genome, which nucleic acid construct comprise binding sites for a DNA-binding protein. Proteins that induces or are suspected to induce epigenetic gene control may then be targetedtothe integrated nucleic acid construct by means of fusion to the DNA binding protein. The targeting protein that induces or is suspected to induce epigenetic gene control to the integrated nucleic acid construct then allows to determine its effects on chromatin structure, gene expression, and epigenetic status of the chromatin locus.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to methods for expansion of stem or progenitor cells. These methods rely on Asb-a polypeptides or nucleic acids to temporarily suppress differentiation of the cells, thus allowing proliferation and self-renewal of the stem or progenitor cells. Abs-a polypeptides and coding sequences define a class of polypeptides and nucleic acids that are both structurally and functionally highly conserved among vertebrates. Asb-a polypeptides contain 6 ankyrin repeats and a SOCS box that mediate the effect of the polypeptide on the regulation of specific subsets of genes involved in differentiation. The invention discloses various methods to increase the intracellular concentration of an Asb-a polypeptide for suppression of terminal differentiation of the stem or progenitor cells. The invention further relates to Asb-a polypeptides and nucleic acids, vectors and host cells for use in methods for their production and for use in the method for expansion of stem or progenitor cells, as well as to stem or progenitor cells containing exogenous Asb-a polypeptides and nucleic acids.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a coordination complex system comprising a ligand having at least two donor moieties, which are complexed to at least a metal selected from a transition metal and lanthanide, characterized in that the ligand comprises at least two building blocks, each having at least one functional group and at least one donor moiety, wherein one building block is non-covalently bonded through its functional group to a complementary functional group of another building block or of a template, wherein the template comprises at least one other functional group that is noncovalently bonded to a complementary functional group of another building block, and wherein all building blockemplate-building block structures are the same when the template contains more than two functional groups.
Abstract:
The invention features methods and tools for identifying individuals having variant form of the dihydropyrimidase (DHP) gene. Variances in the DHP gene can cause intolerance to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and related drugs. Methods and tools for identifying variances in the DHP gene are useful for identifying patients at risk for an adverse response to 5-FU and related drugs.
Abstract:
The invention relates to an apparatus for mechanical organ perfusion during the transport phase of a donor organ, which apparatus comprises an organ receptacle for acommodating the organ, propulsion means for moving the perfusate contained in a liquid compartment of the apparatus to and through the organ receptacle, and oxygenation means for the aeration of the organ receptacle. The propulsion means are embodied as a pump driven by compressed air, while the compressed air serves at the same time for the aeration of the organ receptacle.
Abstract:
A new human chitinase having an amino acid sequence as shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2. Modified forms of it having a similar chitin-hydrolyzing activity, and antigenic peptides representing one of its epitopes. Recombinant production of the human chitinase by genetically engineered hosts or host cells. Recombinant nucleic acid encoding it, and human chitinase-specific oligonucleotides. Use for therapeutic or prophylactic treatment of humans against infection by chitin-containing pathogens, or for decomposing chitin, e.g. from chitin-based articles. Antibodies binding to the human chitinase. Diagnostic test kits comprising the human chitinase, its antigenic peptides, human chitinase antibodies, recombinant nucleic acid or oligonucleotides.