71 results about "Apoptosis Inhibitor" patented technology

The present invention provides improved compositions and methods for the collection of stem cells from an organ, e.g., placenta. The invention provides a stem cell collection composition comprising an apoptosis inhibitor and, optionally, an enzyme such as a protease or mucolytic enzyme, vasodilator, necrosis inhibitor, oxygen-carrying perfluorocarbon, or an organ preserving compound. The invention provides methods of using the stem cell collection composition to collect stem cells and to preserve populations of stem cells.

The present invention relates to trans-capsularly administering into a diseased joint a high specificity antagonist selected from the group consisting of: i) an inhibitor of a pro-inflammatory interleukin; ii) an inhibitor of TNF-α synthesis; iii) an inhibitor of membrane-bound TNF-α; iv) an inhibitor of a natural receptor of TNF-α; v) an inhibitor of NO synthase,

• • vi) an inhibitor of PLA₂ enzyme; vii) an anti-proliferative agent; viii) an anti-oxidant; ix) an apoptosis inhibitor selected from the group consisting of EPO mimetic peptides, EPO mimetibodies, IGF-I, IGF-II, and caspase inhibitors, and x) an inhibitor of MMPs; and xi) an inhibitor of p38 kinase.

An apoptosis inhibitor which comprises a compound of the formula: wherein R represents a hydrocarbon group that may be substituted or a heterocyclic group that may be substituted; Y represents a group of the formula: -CO-, -CH(OH)- or -NR3- where R3 represents an alkyl group that may be substituted; m is 0 or 1; n is 0, 1 or 2; X represents CH or N; A represents a chemical bond or a bivalent aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 7 carbon atoms; Q represents oxygen or sulfur; R1 represents hydrogen or an alkyl group; ring E may have further 1 to 4 substituents, which may form a ring in combination with R1; L and M respectively represent hydrogen or may be combined with each other to form a chemical bond; or a salt thereof, or a compound having an insulin sensitivity enhancing activity.

Disclosed herein are compositions and methods for increasing the longevity of a cell culture and permitting the increased production of proteins, preferably recombinant proteins, such as antibodies, peptides, enzymes, growth factors, interleukins, interferons, hormones, and vaccines. By transfecting cells in culture with an apoptosis-inhibiting gene or vector, cells in culture can survive longer, resulting in extension of the state and yield of protein biosynthesis. Expression of the apoptosis-inhibitor within the cells, because it does not kill the cells, allows the cells, or an increased fraction thereof, to be maintained in culture for longer periods. This invention then allows for controlled, enhanced protein production of cell lines for commercial and research uses, particularly the enhanced production of growth factors, interferons, interleukins, hormones, enzymes, and monoclonal antibodies, and the like. The method preferentially involves eukaryotic cells in culture, and more advantageously mammalian cells in culture.

The invention provides a novel approach to increase immunoglobulin expression in non-human transgenic animals. For instance, the invention provides a method to increase humanized immunoglobulin production in animals genetically engineered to express one or several human or humanized immunoglobulin transloci. This can be done by overexpressing the apoptosis inhibitor, i.e. a rabbit bcl-2, whose expression is driven by a B-cell specific promoter specifically in the B-cell of the animal, thereby enhancing the survival of B-cells. This invention further relates to a method for selectively enhancing the survival of exogenous B-cells, that is B-cells expressing any immunoglobulin transgene locus, over the survival of endogenous B-cells that do not express the transgene locus. Selectivity is achieved by expressing the apoptosis-inhibitor only within exogenous B-cells, that is, by coupling exogenous immunoglobulin expression with apoptosis inhibitor expression. This latter method allows for increased expression and production of the transgene encoded product(s) over the endogenously produced immunoglobulin of the transgenic animal. The invention also provides a novel apoptosis-inhibitor, rabbit bcl-2.

Provided are methods and compositions for maintaining the viability of photoreceptor cells and/or retinal pigment epithelial cells in a subject with an ocular disorder including, for example, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) (e.g., dry or neovascular AMD), retinitis pigmentosa (RP), or a retinal detachment. The viability of the photoreceptor cells and/or the retinal pigment epithelial cells can be preserved by administering a necrosis inhibitor either alone or in combination with an apoptosis inhibitor to a subject having an eye with the ocular condition. The compositions, when administered, maintain the viability of the cells, thereby minimizing the loss of vision or visual function associated with the ocular disorder.

Methods and compositions are provided for increasing the survival of nucleated mammalian cells following drying and rehydration. The methods include introducing a disaccharide such as trehalose into said cells, optionally including heat shock proteins, apoptosis inhibitors, and arbutin, drying said cells, and rehydrating them. The invention further provides nucleated mammalian cells that have increased capacity to survive, divide and, in some cases, differentiate, following drying and rehydration. The cells comprise a disaccharide and one or more of the following: a heat shock protein, an apoptosis inhibitor, and arbutin.

The invention discloses a vacuum blood collection tube, particularly a vacuum blood collection tube for storing and transporting a circulating nucleic acid sample. The vacuum blood collection tube comprises an original tube, a rubber plug and a protective cap, wherein the original tube is vacuumized; the rubber plug seals the original tube; a composite additive is arranged inside the original tube; the composite additive is obtained by mixing a chelating agent, an enzyme inhibitor, an osmotic agent, an antioxidant, an apoptosis inhibitor, a cell membrane stabilizer and a buffer solution. The invention can enable a collected sample to keep a whole-blood initial state under a room-temperature condition for 7-14 days without deterioration, and also can ensure that circulating nucleic acids inplasma or serum of whole blood are not degraded and whole blood cells are free of apoptosis and rupture, so that the circulating nucleic acids existing in the plasma or the serum are prevented from being contaminated by genomic nucleic acids, and adverse effects of a cross-linking action of a formaldehyde slow release agent-based preservation solution on subsequent experiments are avoided.

The invention discloses an improved culture medium for neonatal pig islet cells and a use method of the same. An apoptosis inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK, a human basic fibroblast growth factor hFGF-beta, a vascular endothelial growth factor VEGF, an insulin-like growth factor R3-IGF-1, a human epidermal growth factor hEGF, a hepatocyte growth factor hHGF, pig serum, sodium selenite, insulin, transferrin, ethanol amine, 1-methyl 3-isobutyl xanthine, nicotine, cortisol, penicillin and streptomycin are added in HAM'S F10 culture medium. According to the culture medium, apoptosis can be reduced and recovery rate can be increased; the cultured cells have a sensitive glucose stimulation response and more mature functions compared with generally-cultured islet cells; the insulin secretion amount of the islet cells with the same quantity is increased; the viability of islet beta-cells is improved; the breakages of islet cell clusters are reduced, and the envelops of the cell clusters are complete, so that the cell clusters are more suitable for being transplanted.

Cell suicide (apoptosis) is associated with pathogenesis, for example, it is the major cause for the loss of neurons in Alzheimer's disease. Caspase-3 is critically involved in the pathway of apoptosis. Superantibody (SAT)-trans-membrane technology has been used to produce antibodies against the caspase enzyme in an effort to inhibit apoptosis in living cells. The advantage of using trans-membrane antibodies as apoptosis inhibitors is their specific target recognition in the cell and their lower toxicity compared to conventional apoptosis inhibitors. It is shown that a MTS-transport-peptide modified monoclonal anti-caspase-3 antibody reduces actinomycin D-induced apoptosis and cleavage of spectrin in living cells. These results indicate that antibodies conjugated to a membrane transporter peptide have a therapeutic potential to inhibit apoptosis in a variety of diseases.

A BH4 fusion polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence of a polypeptide capable of exhibiting uptake action into a cell or a derivative sequence thereof; and an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of (A) an amino acid sequence comprising at least the sequence of BH4 domain (SEQ ID NO: 1) of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family protein, (B) an amino acid sequence having substitution, deletion or insertion of at least one amino acid residue in the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, and (C) an amino acid sequence having at least 50% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, wherein the BH4 fusion polypeptide is capable of inhibiting apoptosis; an apoptosis-inhibitor comprising the BH4 fusion polypeptide mentioned above; a method for treating an ischemic disease, characterized by administering the apoptosis-inhibitor mentioned above to a patient with the ischemic disease to inhibit apoptosis, thereby treating the ischemic disease; and use of the BH4 polypeptide mentioned above, for manufacturing a prophylactic or therapeutic agent for an ischemic disease. According to the present invention, the apoptosis can be efficiently suppressed, so that its application as a therapeutic agent for AIDS, neurodegenerative disorders, osteomyelodysplasia, ischemic diseases, infectious multiple organ failure, fulminant hepatitis, diabetes and the like can be expected.

Synthetic hydrogels for organogenesis support organogenesis from mammalian cells, including human cells. The synthetic hydrogels typically include a network of crosslinked branched biodegradable polymers. A portion of the branches of the branched biodegradable polymers are linked to binders which are generally synthetic peptides for cell and extracellular matrix attachment. The hydrogels may include an inhibitor of apoptosis. The synthetic hydrogels with the synthetic binders typically do not interfere with cellular, proteomic, genetic, and/or transcriptome analyses of organoids formed in the hydrogel. The synthetic hydrogels may be subject to on-demand dissolution to provide intact organoids substantially free of hydrogel polymers. Also provided are methods of making the synthetic hydrogels and methods of using the synthetic hydrogels for organogenesis.

A solution for sustained release of therapeutic, prophylactic and/or diagnostic agent in the inner ear has been developed. The formulation can be injected through a small gauge needle into the inner ear, where it gels to form a sustained release depot for controlled delivery of drug over a few days. In the preferred embodiment, the formulation includes a thermoresponsive sol-gel polymer such as POLOXAMER 407 which forms a stable hydrogel after trans-tympanic injection. As demonstrated by the examples, the hydrogel provides sustained release of an apoptosis inhibitory agent, LPT99, an anti-apoptosis agent that inhibits apoptotic protease activating factor 1 (APAF-1), as well as safety and efficacy in in vitro and in vivo models.

The present invention relates to transposon activation and mobilization, particularly in the brain, during normal aging; reporter systems to detect such mobilization, along with cells and transgenic animals containing such systems; methods of monitoring neuronal function during normal aging; methods of determining the risk of age-related neuronal decline and age-related mortality; and the use of transposon inhibitors and apoptosis inhibitors to delay age-related neuronal decline and age-related mortality.

The present invention is directed to novel dipeptides thereof, represented by the general Formula I:

where R₁-R₃ and AA are defined herein. The present invention relates to the discovery that compounds having Formula I are potent inhibitors of apoptotic cell death. Therefore, the inhibitors of this invention can retard or block cell death in a variety of clinical conditions in which the loss of cells, tissues or entire organs occurs.

It is intended to provide an apoptosis inhibitor, which inhibits apoptosis of cells having DNA directly or indirectly damaged by UV light or the like, can be added to any of various drug agents by increasing cellular tissue repair and can be expected to have a wide application. The apoptosis inhibitor is an apoptosis inhibitor for epidermal cells and the like containing a licorice extract solublein water and ethanol as an active ingredient. The apoptosis inhibitor has an anti-apoptotic factor due to the expression of BCL-2 protein, and has a preventive effect on DNA damage by UV light. It reduces DNA damage by exposure to UV light in epidermal cells and does not abnormally or adversely affect normal skin cells.