摘要:
In one aspect, the present invention provides a genetically modified cell or non-human organism comprising such cells comprising modified genetic material which when expressed produces a polypeptide co-expressed with a reporter molecule and wherein the polypeptide is associated with terminal differentiation of a haematopoietic cell. Preferably, the genetic material gene is a Blimp allele or a part, fragment or functional form thereof. Furthermore, the identification of the reporter molecule in B-cell lineage cells indicates that such cells are committed to differentiate or have differentiated into ASC. Alternatively, reporter molecule activity in cells of a T cell lineage indicates that these cells are activated. Thus, as described herein, the presence of Blimp in a lymphocyte indicates that the cell is terminally differentiated or is committed to terminal differentiation. Exemplary T-cells include CD4 + T-cells and CD8 + T-cells and exemplary B-cells are ASC.
摘要:
The present invention relates generally to target molecules for potential therapeutic and/or prophylactic intervention. More particularly, the present invention provides a physiological assessment system in the form of vertebrate animal models to identify genetic or proteinaceous drug targets therein associated with a disease or a particular condition or phenotype. In an illustrative embodiment, target molecules associated with modulating platelet levels and ameliorating the symptoms of thrombocytopenia are described. The target molecules are useful as therapeutic and/or prophylactic agents such as in antisense or iRNA form. The present invention also relates to the application of these drug targets in the identification or development of therapeutic and/or prophylactic agents which modulate the functional activity of the drug target or its interacting network of molecules.
摘要:
The present invention relates generally to a method for regulating cytokine signaling and agents useful for same. The method of the present invention is predicated in part on the identification of the molecular target of suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) interaction in controlling cytokine signaling. The identification of the molecular target permits the development of assays to screen for a range of agonists and antagonists useful in modulating cytokine function. The present invention further provides, therefore, screening assays and more particularly high through-put screening assays for agonists and antagonists of SOCS-receptor interaction. Such agonists and antagonists are useful in the manufacture of medicaments for controlling cytokine signaling. Control of cytokine signaling is important for the treatment of a range of conditions including cancer, inflammatory conditions, immunological disorders, growth disorders and any other conditions involving aberrations of signal transduction.
摘要:
The present invention relates generally to a method of eliciting or otherwise inducing an immune response to a microorganism and compositions for use therein. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of inducing an immune response to a parasite utilising an immunogenic composition comprising a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (referred to herein as "GPI") inositolglycan domain or its derivative or equivalent. The present invention is useful, inter alia , as a prophylactic and/or therapeutic treatment for microorganism infections of mammals such as, for example, parasite infections and in particular infection by Plasmodium species. In another aspect the invention provides a method of diagnosing, monitoring, screening for or otherwise qualitatively or quantitatively assessing an immune response to a microorganism and, in particular, a parasite. More particularly, this aspect of the present invention is directed to assessing said immune response utilising a GPI inositoglycan domain or its derivative or equivalent. The development of this aspect of the present invention facilitates, inter alia , the qualitative and/or quantitative analysis of anti-GPI antibodies in a biological sample, the identification and/or isolation of unique specificities of antibodies (such as those which bind a parasite derived toxin or the parasite itself), epitope specific screening or the rational design of immunogenic molecules and the generation , thereby, of functionally effective immunointeractive molecules.
摘要:
The present invention relates generally to the field of cancer therapy and cancer diagnostics and to agents useful therefor. More particularly, the present invention provides a novel tumor suppressor gene, an expression product including a polypeptide or protein encoded thereby and nucleic acid probes and primers and peptide fragments characteristic of the tumor suppressor gene or its expression product or mutants or derivatives thereof. The present invention further provides molecules generated through combinatorial chemistry or rational chemical synthesis or identified following screening of chemical libraries or natural sources which augment or otherwise facilitate the activity or function of the tumor suppressor gene or its expression product and in particular in cells which carry a deletion or other mutation including a gene silencing event in one or both alleles of the tumor suppressor gene. The present invention provides diagnostic agents to detect the presence or absence of the tumor suppressor gene or the presence or absence of an expressible tumor suppressor gene or the presence or absence of an expression product of the tumor suppressor gene useful in determining the likelihood of development of a tumor in a vertebrate animal such as mammal and in particular a human. The present invention further provides genetically modified animals carrying cells in which one or both alleles of the tumor suppressor gene are deleted or mutated or where expression of the gene is otherwise silenced.
摘要:
The present invention relates generally to molecules which are capable of interacting with members of the family of suppressors of cytokine signalling (SOCS) proteins. The molecules range from intracellular proteinaceous targets for which the SOCS is a ligand to chemicals including proteinaceous entities identified inter alia by screening of natural products, chemical libraries and/or through rational drug design. The identification of intracellular targets of a SOCS protein and/or the identification of other interactors of the SOCS molecule permits the development of a range of therapeutic and diagnostic applications. The present invention particularly relates to SOCS-6 and its involvement in various physiological processes such as those mediated by growth factor or hormone signalling.
摘要:
The present invention discloses methods of screening for agents that modulate the level and/or functional activity of a pro-apoptotic protein or that modulate the level and/or functional activity of a pro-survival protein for treating or preventing degenerative disorders. Also disclosed is a genetically modified non-human animal model for use in these methods, which has a partial or complete loss of function in at least one allele of a pro-apoptotic gene, especially a bim gene , and a partial or complete loss of function in at least one allele of a pro-survival gene, especially a bcl-2 gene.
摘要:
The present invention relates generally to chimeric peptides comprising one or more protective epitopes in a conformation enabling immunological interactivity and to vaccine compositions comprising same. The present invention is particularly directed to a chimeric peptide capable of inducing protecting antibodies against Group A streptococci.
摘要:
The present invention relates to a recombinant polyepitope cytotoxic T lymphocyte vaccine. The vaccine comprises at least one recombinant protein including a plurality of cytotoxic T lymphocyte epitopes from one or more pathogens, wherein the at least one recombinant protein is substantially free of sequences naturally found to flank the cytotoxic T lymphocyte epitopes. In addition the present invention also provides a polynucleotide including at least one sequence encoding a plurality of cytotoxic T lymphocyte epitopes from one or more pathogens.
摘要:
The present application relates to CTLA4 fusion proteins, compositions comprising the same, and uses thereof, wherein the CTLA4 fusion proteins do not displace cis-bound PDL1 from B7 upon binding.