Abstract:
The disclosure relates to methods and devices for monitoring the concentration of a substance, preferably oxygen, in a cell or tissue, e.g., in cells of the human skin. In particular, it provides a method for determining the concentration of a quencher, such as oxygen and/or the concentration of a probe, e.g., a heme precursor such as protoporphyrin IX (PplX), wherein the probe is capable of exhibiting luminescence (delayed fluorescence (DF) or phosphorescence) and or transient triplet absorption, preferably, deDF, in a living cell. The method comprises steps of exciting the probe, measuring the lifetime of the luminescence exhibited by said probe, wherein, in the presence of the quencher, the lifetime is shortened as compared to the lifetime in the absence of the quencher, and correlating said lifetime with said concentration. The disclosed method leads to more precise results than conventional methods, because of adaptations based on the understanding of the influence of the concentration of the probe and its excitation fluence rate (intensity) on the analysis. For example, the simultaneous time-resolved detection of the probe excimer and monomer DF allows estimation of the probe concentration and compensation of the probe self-quenching effect in the quencher concentration calculation, increasing the measurement precision. Taking into account second order triplet interactions also permits the interpretation of non-exponential decays and further improvement of the quencher and probe concentration estimation. Disclosed methods rely, e.g., on measurement at different emission wavelengths and application of an adaptive Stern-Volmer relationship, the decay central fitting method and/or a mixed orders approach. Said method can be applied, e.g., for bedside monitoring of patients. Also disclosed is the use of the PplX precursor 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA), or derivatives thereof, in this method, and a device suitable therefor.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to the field of fluorescent compounds and dyes. In particular, it provides the use of a polyphenol, such as quercetin or luteolin, and a diaryl borinic compound, e.g., 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate (also referred to as 2-APB, diphenylborinic acid 2-aminoethyl ester, DPBA or Neu's reagent), in combination with an agent capable of providing an aprotic environment selected from the group consisting of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of an animal cell, a protein, a polypeptide, and a solid preferably, crystalline phase of a complex formed by the polyphenol and the diaryl borinic compound, for generating an increased fluorescence. The invention teaches the use of a polyphenol and a diaryl borinic compound for selective fluorescent staining of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of an animal cell and a corresponding method as well as kits useful to this end. Advantageously, the ER can be reversibly stained, and, depending on the selection of the polyphenol, different wavelengths of fluorescence can be obtained. Also provided is the use of a polyphenol, a diaryl borinic compound, and an agent capable of providing an aprotic environment, e.g., a protein, for determining the proton-donating ability of a solvent, or determining the presence and/or concentration of the agent, the polyphenol or the diaryl borinic compound. Complexes of the invention, e.g., in solid or crystalline form, may also be used as fluorescent dyes or paints, or for providing light, e.g., in a display.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to the field of immunotherapeutics. It provides a method for characterisation and quality control, in particular for determining the potency of an immunoglobulin composition comprising immunoglobulins derived from a plurality of human donors, the method comprising contacting the immunoglobulin composition with pneumolysin, adding erythrocytes to the immunoglobulin composition and determining lysis of the erythrocytes. The invention also provides a corresponding use of pneumolysin, as well as a kit and composition useful in said method. The method can be used for quality control of immunoglobulin concentrate, e.g., of an IgM-containing immunoglobulin composition comprising IgM, IgA and IgG antibodies, and in a method of preparing an immunoglobulin composition. The immunoglobulin compositions obtainable from said method may be used, e.g., in the treatment of pneumonia, e.g., severe community-acquired pneumonia, which may be caused, e.g., by Streptococcus pneumoniae.
Abstract:
The present invention is directed to the field of immunotherapy, in particular, adoptive T cell therapy or T cell receptor (TCR) gene therapy of cancer. The invention provides a nucleic acid encoding at least one TCR alpha or beta chain construct of a TCR construct capable of specifically binding to a MYD88 L265P peptide of SEQ ID NO: 2 in the context of HLA-B*07:02 having a high avidity to said peptide/HLA complex. The invention also provides corresponding proteins and host cells, preferably, CD8+ T cells, as well as the medical use of such nucleic acids, proteins or host cells, in particular, in the diagnosis, prevention and/or treatment of a MyD88 L265P expressing cancer such as a non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphoma selected from the group comprising diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), e.g., activated B-cell-like DLBCL (ABC-DLBCL) or pCNS DLBCL, cutaneous DLBCL, leg-type DLBCL or testicular DLBCL; lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma (LPL), e.g., Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (WM); and IgM monoclonal gammopathy (IgM MGUS).
Abstract:
The present invention relates to the field of analysis of the three-dimensional structure of the genome, i.e., for genome architecture mapping on chromatin (GAM-ch). The invention provides a method of determining interaction of a plurality of nucleic acid loci in a compartment comprising nucleic acids, such as the cell nucleus, comprising separating nucleic acids from each other depending on their interaction in the compartment by crosslinking nucleic acids with each other directly or indirectly, fragmenting the nucleic acids of the compartment to obtain fragments and/or cross-linked complexes of fragments, and dividing the fragmented nucleic acids to obtain a collection of fractions such that every fraction contains, on average, less than one copy of every locus; determining the presence or absence of the plurality of loci in said fractions; and determining the co-segregation of said plurality of loci in the fractions. Co-segregation may then be analysed with statistical methods to determine interactions. The method can be used e.g., for identifying the frequency of interactions across a cell population between a plurality of loci; and mapping loci and/or genome architecture, e.g., in the nucleus, an organelle, a microorganism or a virus; identification of regulatory regions directing expression of a specific gene through spatial contacts; identifying the spatial contacts between loci that depend on their co-association with specific protein(s) or RNA and/or diagnosing a disease associated with a disturbed co- segregation of loci. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) can be combined with the method of the invention.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to the field of tumor biology. It provides a method for determining the risk of metastasis of a tumor, in particular, the risk of hematogenous dissemination and/or homing/survival in bone marrow, wherein the expression of RAI2, and otionally of other genes, in a tumor sample obtained from the patient is determined. The invention further provides a kit for determining the expression of RAI2 and/or other genes. A pharmaceutical composition comprising RAI2 in gene or protein form is disclosed, in particular for preventing and/or treating metastasis of a tumor.
Abstract:
The present invention provides methods for predicting tolerance associated with 6-mercaptopurine drug treatment of an immune-mediated gastrointestinal disorder such as inflammatory bowel disease. In particular, the present invention provides methods for predicting a patient's risk of an adverse drug reaction (or tolerance) to a 6-mercaptopurine drug by genotyping a patient at a polymorphic site in at least one gene selected from the group consisting of a xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH) gene, molybdenum cofactor sulfurase (MOCOS) gene, and aldehyde oxidase (AOX) gene. The present invention further provides methods for optimizing therapeutic efficacy in a patient receiving a 6-mercaptopurine drug by determining whether the patient should be given an alternative drug based on the presence or absence of a polymorphism in at least one of the XDH, MOCOS, and AOX genes.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to the field of immunotherapy, in particular, of cancer, more specifically, to adoptive T cell therapy or T cell receptor (TCR) gene therapy directed to an epitope derived from the cancer-testis antigen MAGEA4 presented on HLA-A*01, in particular, the immunodominant epitope of SEQ ID NO: 1. The invention provides a nucleic acid encoding a TCR alpha chain construct (TRA) and/or a TCR beta chain construct (TRB) of a TCR construct, wherein the TCR construct is capable of specifically binding to said epitope in the context of HLA-A*01. Proteins encoded by said nucleic acids, corresponding host cells and pharmaceutical compositions, e.g., for use in treating cancer such as melanoma, gastric cancer, head and neck, lung, breast, ovarian, bladder, and esophageal cancer, are also objects of the invention. In another aspect, the invention provides specific peptides comprising said epitopes, and pharmaceutical compositions comprising the same, e.g., for use in vaccination.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to the field of immunotherapeutics, in particular to a method for characterization and/or quality control of immunotherapeutics. It provides a method of testing potency of an immunoglobulin composition, e.g., plasma or a plasma-derived immunoglobulin composition such as an intravenous immunoglobulin composition (IVIG), as well as to use of a bead coated with an antigen and an antibody specifically bound to said antigen for testing po- tency of an immunoglobulin composition. Said immunoglobulin composition, or immunoglobulin test composition can be an IVIG, particularly and IgA- and/or IgM enriched (also sometimes re- ferred to as IVIG-AM). The potency is tested by the capability of the composition to inhibit an ef- fector function of an Fc-receptor expressing immune effector cell, such as a neutrophil, e.g., a HL60 cell, preferably, production of an inflammatory cytokine such as IL-8. The invention also relates to a method of preparing a standardized immunoglobulin composition, to a kit for carry- ing out the method, as well as a composition. The immunoglobulin compositions obtainable from said method may be used, e.g., in the treatment of inflammation, e.g., in the context of COVID-19 or pneumonia, e.g., severe community-acquired pneumonia.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to the field of dental care, e.g., with toothpaste, tooth gel, mouthwash, mouth spray or oral care foam. In particular, it provides an anti-inflammatory and senolytic dental care product with tooth whitening characteristics. The dental care product comprises calcium phosphate particles of a specific size, the self-assembling peptide P 11-4 or oligopeptide 104 of SEQ ID NO: 1, an extract of a plant of the genus Rhododendron, and an extract of a plant of the genus Leontopodium. The dental care product may further comprise an extract of a plant of the genus Eleutherococcus, such as Eleutherococcus senticosus.