The invention relates to compositions of matter and methods for treating arthritis by modulating Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNF-alpha) signaling. TNF-alpha plays a key role in the pathogenesis of numerous diseases including rheumatoid and septic arthritis, and other autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. TNF-alpha mediates its effects through receptors that contain a Pre-ligand Assembly Domain (PLAD). The inventors have discovered compounds that interfere with PLAD can block the effects of TNF-alpha in vitro.

This invention relates to materials and methods associated with polymorphic variants in two enzymes involved in folate-dependent and one-carbon metabolic pathways important in pregnancy-related complications and neural tube birth defects: MTHFD1 (5,10-methylenetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase, 5,10-methenyltetrahydrofolate cyclohydrolase, 10-formyltetrahydrofolate synthase) and methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase (NADP+ dependent) 1-like (MTHFD1L). These enzymes are extremely important in the promotion of DNA synthesis, a process that is critical for normal placental and fetal development.

The invention described and claimed in this patent application provides for novel vectors and viral particles which comprise adeno-associated virus serotype 5 (AAV5). AAV5 is a single-stranded DNA virus of either plus or minus polarity which, like other AAV serotypes (e.g., AAV4, AAV2) requires a helper virus for replication. AAV type 2 has the interesting and potentially useful ability to integrate into human chromosome 19 q 13.3-q ter. This activity is dependent on the non-structural, Rep, proteins of AAV2.

A synthetic composition that contains the transglutaminase 1 (TGase I) enzyme and a lipid vesicle, which can be used to provide ameliorative therapy for inherited autosomal recessive ichthyoses (ARI). Icthyoses are rare inherited skin disorders that result in extensive scaling of the skin. Because this abnormality can affect heat and fluid transfer through the skin, individuals with this disease may have an increased risk for dehydration and skin infections. Each year, more than 16,000 babies are born with some form of ichthyosis. Ichthyosis affects people of all ages, races and gender.

The present invention relates to the field of apoptosis, in particular, it relates to apoptosis-modifying fusion proteins with at least two domains, one of which targets the fusion proteins to a target cell, and another of which modifies an apoptotic response of the target cell. For example, fusing various cell-binding domains to Bcl-X_L and Bad allows targeting to specific subsets of cells in vivo, permitting treatment and/or prevention of cell-death related consequences of various diseases and injuries.

Available for licensing and commercial development is a method of inhibiting SARS-CoV replication, propagation and transmission using 2-cyano-3,12-dioxooleana-1,9-dien-28-oic (CDDO). Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is an infectious atypical pneumonia that has recently been recognized in patients in 32 countries and regions. The atypical pneumonia with unknown etiology was initially observed in Guangdong Province, China.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) chronically infects over 300 million people worldwide. Many of them will die of chronic hepatitis or hepatocellular carcinoma. The present technology relates to the isolation and characterization of a novel neutralizing chimpanzee monoclonal antibody to HBV. The antibody was identified through a combinatorial antibody library constructed from bone marrow cells of a chimpanzee experimentally infected with HBV. The selected monoclonal antibody has been shown to react equally well with wild-type HBV and the most common neutralization escape mutant variants.

The claimed invention provides a method of detecting the presence of a parvovirus in a sample. Parvoviruses infect animals and man. In man, the only known pathogenic member of this family is parvovirus B19. The inventors have identified the parvovirus B19 receptor which provides for a method to diagnose, prevent, and treat parvovirus infection utilizing the binding affinity for the receptor.

This application describes a composition and method for treating inflammatory bowel disease or other autoimmune diseases. The composition utilizes a vector which contains a first promoter which controls the expression of a regulatory transcription factor and a second inducible promoter which controls the expression of the gene of interest. The preferred gene of interest encodes an isoform of TGF-beta such as TGF-beta₁ or TGF-beta₃. The isoform of TGF-beta does not have to be hTGF-beta and can be a latent or active isoform of TGF-beta.

The current invention embodies a mouse model which is heterozygous for a null allele at the Men1 locus of murine chromosome 19. Men1 has similar exon-intron organization and amino acid identity compared with its human analog MEN1, which has been implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple endocrine neoplasia, type I (MENI). This mouse model has been shown to develop features remarkably similar to those of MEN1, which include tumors of the endocrine pancreas, pituitary, and parathyroids.