884results about "Receptors for hormones" patented technology

The present invention relates to novel methods of making soluble proteins having free cysteines in which a host cell is exposed to a cysteine blocking agent. The soluble proteins produced by the methods can then be modified to increase their effectiveness. Such modifications include attaching a PEG moiety to form pegylated proteins.

The present invention relates to antibodies and antigen-binding portions thereof that specifically bind to insulin-like growth factor I receptor (IGF-IR), which is preferably human IGF-IR. The invention also relates to human anti-IGF-IR antibodies, including chimeric, bispecific, derivatized, single chain antibodies or portions of fusion proteins. The invention also relates to isolated heavy and light chain immunoglobulin molecules derived from anti-IGF-IR antibodies and nucleic acid molecules encoding such molecules. The present invention also relates to methods of making anti-IGF-IR antibodies, pharmaceutical compositions comprising these antibodies and methods of using the antibodies and compositions thereof for diagnosis and treatment. The invention also provides gene therapy methods using nucleic acid molecules encoding the heavy and/or light immunoglobulin molecules that comprise the human anti-IGF-IR antibodies. The invention also relates to gene therapy methods and transgenic animals comprising nucleic acid molecules of the present invention.

Methods for producing secreted receptor analogs and biologically active peptide dimers are disclosed. The methods for producing secreted receptor analogs and biologically active peptide dimers utilize a DNA sequence encoding a receptor analog or a peptide requiring dimerization for biological activity joined to a dimerizing protein. The receptor analog includes a ligand-binding domain. Polypeptides comprising essentially the extracellular domain of a human PDGF receptor fused to dimerizing proteins, the portion being capable of binding human PDGF or an isoform thereof, are also disclosed. The polypeptides may be used within methods for determining the presence of and for purifying human PDGF or isoforms thereof.

This invention relates to the field of biotechnology or genetic engineering. Specifically, this invention relates to the field of gene expression. More specifically, this invention relates to a novel inducible gene expression system and methods of modulating gene expression in a host cell for applications such as gene therapy, large-scale production of proteins and antibodies, cell-based high throughput screetng assays, functional genomics and regulation of traits in transgenic plants and animals.

The present invention relates to methods and compositions designed for the treatment, management or prevention of cancer. The methods of the invention comprise the administration of an effective amount of one or more inhibitors of JNK in combination with the administration of an effective amount of one or more other agents useful for cancer therapy. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising one or more inhibitors of JNK in combination with one or more other agents useful for cancer therapy. In particular, the invention is directed to methods of treatment and prevention of cancer by the administration of an effective amount of one or more inhibitors of JNK in combination with standard and experimental chemotherapies, hormonal therapies, bone marrow transplants, stem cell replacement therapies, biological therapies/immunotherapies and/or radiation therapies for treatment or prevention of cancer. Also included are methods of treatment of cancer by the administration of one or more inhibitors of JNK in combination with surgery, alone or in further combination with standard and experimental chemotherapies, hormonal therapies, bone marrow transplants, stem cell replacement therapies, biological therapies/immunotherapies and/or radiation therapies.

The present invention a provides methods for production of heterologous polypeptides using a variety recombinantly engineered secretory cell lines. The common feature of these cell lines is the absence of expression of at least one endogenous polypeptide. The host cell machinery normally used to produce the endogenous polypeptide is then usurped for the purpose of making the heterologous polypeptide. Also described are methods engineering cells for high level expression, methods of large scale protein production, and methods for treatment of disease in vivo using viral delivery systems and recombinant cell lines.

PCT No. PCT/US96/08992 Sec. 371 Date Jun. 5, 1996 Sec. 102(e) Date Jun. 5, 1996 PCT Filed Jun. 5, 1996Disclosed are an isolated antibody or antibody fragment that selectively binds a polypeptide encoded by Cytokine Response gene 2 (CR2), and in particular, selectively binds to a first polypeptide having the sequence of residues 1-60 of SEQ. ID No: 4. Also disclosed is a composition containing the antibody or antibody fragment and a diluent or carrier. Also disclosed are methods, using the present antibody or antibody fragment, of isolating or purifying a peptide comprising an amino acid sequence of residues 1-60 of SEQ. ID No: 4 or an antibody binding fragment thereof that is at least 10 to 30 amino acids long, or a fusion protein comprising any of these.

The invention provides chimeric proteins having at least two functional protein units, each containing the dimerization domain of a member of the steroid/thyroid hormone nuclear receptor superfamily. The chimeric proteins can fold under crystallization conditions to form functional entities. The functional entities optionally contain a novel flexible peptide linker of variable lengths between at least two of the protein units. In a preferred embodiment, the linker is designed to be increased in increments of 12 amino acids each to aid in preparation of variant chimeric proteins. The DNA binding characteristics of the invention functional entities differ from those of wild-type complexes formed between “monomeric” receptors and their binding partners. Some functional entities, e.g. dimers expressed as fusion proteins, transactivate responsive promoters in a manner similar to wild-type complexes, while others do not promote transactivation and function instead essentially as constitutive repressors. The invention further provides nucleotide sequences encoding the invention chimeric proteins, cells containing such nucleotide sequences, and methods for using the invention chimeric proteins to modulate expression of one or more exogenous genes in a subject organism. In addition, isolated protein crystals suitable for x-ray diffraction analysis and methods for obtaining putative ligands for the invention chimeric proteins are provided.

The invention provides novel guanylate cyclase-C agonist peptides and their use in the treatment of human diseases including gastrointestinal disorders, inflammation or cancer (e.g., a gastrointestinal cancer). The peptides can be administered either alone or in combination with an inhibitor of cGMP-dependent phosphodiesterase. The gastrointestinal disorder may be classified as either irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, or excessive acidity etc. The gastrointestinal disease may be classified as either inflammatory bowel disease or other GI condition, including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, and cancer.

The invention concerns immunogens, immunogenic compositions and method for the treatment of gastrin-dependent tumors. The immunogens comprise a peptide from the CCK-B/gastrin-receptor conjugated to a spacer and to an immunogenic carrier. The immunogens are capable of inducing antibodies in vivo which bind to the CCK-B/gastrin-receptor in tumor cells, thereby preventing growth stimulating peptide hormones from binding to the receptors, and inhibiting tumor cell growth. The immunogens also comprise antibodies against the CCK-B/gastrin-receptor for passive immunization. The invention also concerns diagnostic methods for detecting gastrin-dependent tumors in vivo or from a tissue biopsy using the antibodies of the invention.

In certain aspects, the present invention provides methods for dosing a patient with an ActRIIb antagonist and methods for managing patients treated with an ActRIIb anatagonist. In certain aspects, the methods involve measuring one or more hematologic parameters in a patient.