摘要:
The present invention is in the field of diagnostics and therapeutics. Specifically, the present invention provides methods for diagnosis and therapy of diseases and conditions associated with oxidative stress such as Type 2 diabetes, hyperglycaemia, preeclampsia, aging, etc. Furthermore the invention provides peptides, binding agents recognizing said peptides, diagnostic assay kits, and compositions suitable for medical purposes. The peptides of the invention are characterized by a C-terminal, non-enzymatic originated amide or by a nitric oxide binding site. The peptides of the invention are suitable as biomarker or as therapeutic substances capable to function as nitric oxide delivery vehicles.
摘要:
Several types of cancer cells are treated with specialized therapies, as they have specific properties such as steroid-dependant, especially estradiol-dependant growth. Breast cancer and colon cancer cells often depend to some extend on estradiol-mediated growth signals. Therefore, especially breast cancer patients are routinely tested for the presence of estradiol receptors by immune histology. If the estradiol receptor is present usually an anti-estradiol therapy is used to eradicate the tumour and to prevent rezidives. However to a certain extend this therapy does not work and it would be an advantage to know this as early as possible, thereby not to loose any time with wrong therapy concepts. Therefore a better predictive marker to diagnose steroid-dependant cancer cells is necessary, which is provided by this invention. Prothymosin alpha (PTA) can be measured in tissue samples and plasma of breast cancer and colon cancer patients and indicates, whether the estradiol pathway is functional and consequently whether anti-estradiol therapy may be successful. PTA can be a surrogate for estradiol receptor detection by immune histology, can be a marker to monitor resistance of cancer cells towards anti-estradiol therapy and has the advantage to be determined from easily accessible patient samples such as serum or plasma. Claimed are PTA peptides and nucleic acids, binding agents therefore, test kits and diagnostic and therapeutic methods and compositions.