909results 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.

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.

The present invention relates to novel drug depot implant designs for optimal delivery of therapeutic agents to subjects. The invention provides a method for alleviating pain associated with neuromuscular or skeletal injury or inflammation by targeted delivery of one or more therapeutic agents to inhibit the inflammatory response which ultimately causes acute or chronic pain. Controlled and directed delivery can be provided by drug depot implants, comprising therapeutic agents, specifically designed to deliver the therapeutic agent to the desired location by facilitating their implantation, minimizing their migration from the desired tissue location, and without disrupting normal joint and soft tissue movement.

Pharmaceutical compositions comprising 2-[6-(3-Amino-piperidin-1-yl)-3-methyl-2,4-dioxo-3,4-dihydro-2H-pyrimidin-1-ylmethyl]-4-fluoro-benzonitrile and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof are provided as well as kits and articles of manufacture comprising the pharmaceutical compositions as well as methods of using the pharmaceutical compositions.

The present invention relates to novel drug depot implant designs for optimal delivery of therapeutic agents to subjects. The invention provides a method for alleviating pain associated with neuromuscular or skeletal injury or inflammation by targeted delivery of one or more therapeutic agents to inhibit the inflammatory response which ultimately causes acute or chronic pain. Controlled and directed delivery can be provided by drug depot implants, comprising therapeutic agents, specifically designed to deliver the therapeutic agent to the desired location by facilitating their implantation, minimizing their migration from the desired tissue location, and without disrupting normal joint and soft tissue movement.

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.

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.

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 novel substitution mutant receptors and their use in a Group H nuclear receptor-based inducible gene expression system and methods of modulating the expression of a gene in a host cell for applications such as gene therapy, large scale production of proteins and antibodies, cell-based high throughput screening assays, functional genomics and regulation of traits in transgenic organisms.

The present invention concerns combination of an amount of a GPR119 agonist with an amount of a dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV) inhibitor such that the combination provides an effect in lowering a blood glucose level or in increasing a blood GLP-1 level in a subject over that provided by the amount of the GPR119 agonist or the amount of the DPP-IV inhibitor alone and the use of such a combination for treating or preventing diabetes and conditions related thereto or conditions ameliorated by increasing a blood GLP-1 level. The present invention also relates to the use of a G protein-coupled receptor to screen for GLP-1 secretagogues.

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 invention relates to methods of treating a blood disorder in a mammal with an interleukin-1 (IL-1) inhibitor. The invention also relates to methods of treating a blood disorder in a mammal with an IL-1 inhibitor, a TNF inhibitor and an erythropoietin (EPO) receptor agonist. The invention also relates to compositions of an IL-1 inhibitor and compositions of an IL-1 inhibitor, a TNF inhibitor and an EPO receptor agonist.

The invention is directed to methods of promoting neurogenesis by contacting neuronal tissue with neurogenesis increasing agents. Novel methods for treating neurological disorders using neurogenesis increasing agents are disclosed.

The present invention provides specific methods of using and administering etanercept to improve cognitive function in a human, for both the treatment and prevention of cognitive impairment, or, alternatively, to enhance cognitive function including Alzheimer's Disease, Idiopathic Dementia, and Traumatic Brain Injury. The methods of the present invention include the perispinal administration of etanercept. For the purposes of this patent “perispinal” is to be considered as referring to “perispinal extrathecal;” therefore direct intrathecal administration is excluded. Perispinal administration leads to enhanced delivery of etanercept to the brain in a therapeutically effective amount, via the vertebral venous system and / or the cerebrospinal fluid. Delivery of etanercept to the brain utilizing the methods of the present invention includes the use of the vertebral venous system to deliver etanercept to the brain via retrograde venous flow. Physical maneuvers are used to enhance delivery of etanercept to the brain via this route.

The present invention relates to compositions and methods for inhibiting the release and / or biological activity of migration inhibitory factor (MIF). In particular, the invention relates to the uses of such compositions and methods for the treatment of various conditions involving cytokine-mediated toxicity, which include, but are not limited to shock, inflammation, graft versus host disease, and / or autoimmune diseases.

Selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) having antagonist activity in hormone-dependent tumors while exhibiting no activity or agonist activity against other nontumor tissues containing the androgen receptor as well as methods for identifying, designing and using SARMs are provided.

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.

A method and solution for perioperatively inhibiting a variety of pain and inflammation processes during arthroscopic procedures. The solution preferably includes a vasoconstrictor that demonstrates substantial agonist activity at alpha adrenergic receptors and that is selected for peripheral (local) vasoconstriction and one or more additional pain and inflammation inhibitory agents at dilute concentration in a physiologic carrier, such as saline or lactated Ringer's solution. The solution is applied by continuous irrigation of a wound during a surgical procedure for peripheral vasoconstriction and inhibition of pain and / or inflammation while avoiding undesirable side effects associated with systemic application of larger doses of the agents.

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

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.

Newly identified mammalian taste-cell-specific G protein-coupled receptors which function as hetero-oligomeric complexes in the sweet taste transduction pathway, and the genes and cDNA encoding said receptors are described. Specifically, T1R G protein-coupled receptors active in sweet taste signaling as hetero-oligomeric complexes, and the genes and cDNA encoding the same, are described, along with methods for isolating such genes and for isolating and expressing such receptors. Methods for identifying putative taste modulating compounds using such hetero-oligomeric complexes also described, as is a novel surface expression facilitating peptide useful for targeting integral plasma membrane proteins to the surface of a cell.

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.