University of Texas System

Symbicom Aktiebolag

Symbicom Ab

University of California

Other

Assoicated Universties, Inc.

Vical Incorporated

Pasteur Merieux Serums Et Vaccins

Symbicom Aktiebolog

Alan G Barbour

Sven Bergstrom

Steven J Norris

John Morgan Hardham

George M Weinstock

Jing-Ren Zhang

Jerrilyn K Howell

Louis A Magnarelli

Catherine J Luke

Ariadna Sadziene

Virgilio G Bundoc

Philip L Felgner

Xiaowu Liang

Robert C Huebner

Lennart Hansson

Adriadna Sadziene

Carol Carter

Kristin R Carner

Jon A Norman

John J Dunn

Sven Bergstr&ouml;m

Donald R Blake

Jemlyn K Howell

Sven Bergst&ouml;m

A system for monitoring an exhaled breath of a subject is described. A breath collector can be configured to receive exhaled breath from a subject. One or more sensors can be configured to output a concentration of a first gas compound in the received exhaled breath, and to output a concentration of a second gas compound in the received exhaled breath. The second gas compound is used to normalize the concentration of the first gas based on different physiological states of the subject. A processor operably coupled to the one or more sensors is configured to calculate a ratio of the first gas compound to the second gas compound based on the determined concentrations, and to determine a normalized concentration of the first gas compound. This ratio may be monitored to evaluate an inflammatory state of the subject.

System and method for utilizing exhaled breath for monitoring inflammatory states

The present invention relates to DNA sequences encoding Vmp-like polypeptides of pathogenic Borreliae, the use of the DNA sequences in recombinant vectors to express polypeptides, the encoded amino acid sequences, application of the DNA and amino acid sequences to the production of polypeptides as antigens for immunoprophylaxis, immunotherapy, and immunodiagnosis. Also disclosed are the use of the nucleic acid sequences as probes or primers for the detection of organisms causing Lyme disease, relapsing fever, or related disorders, and kits designed to facilitate methods of using the described polypeptides, DNA segments and antibodies.

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The present invention provides methods of detectingspecies in a sample (e.g., a sample from a patient suspected of being infected). In particular, the present invention provides compositions and methods for detecting the presence ofproteins, nucleic acid sequences encoding these proteins, and subject antibodies to these proteins, where the proteins are selected from those listed in Table 3, including: BB0279 (FLiL), BBK19, BBK07, BB0286 (FlbB), BBG33, BBL27, BBN34, BBP34, BBQ42, BBQ34, BBM34, BBN27, and BBH13.

The present invention relates to DNA sequences encoding Vmp-like polypeptides of pathogenic, the use of the DNA sequences in recombinant vectors to express polypeptides, the encoded amino acid sequences, application of the DNA and amino acid sequences to the production of polypeptides as antigens for immunoprophylaxis, immunotherapy, and immunodiagnosis. Also disclosed are the use of the nucleic acid sequences as probes or primers for the detection of organisms causing Lyme disease, relapsing fever, or related disorders, and kits designed to facilitate methods of using the described polypeptides, DNA segments and antibodies.

Compositions and methods of detectingproteins, nucleic acid sequences encoding these proteins, and subject antibodies to these proteins in a sample are disclosed.

Mucosal administration of OspA and compositions therefor are disclosed and claimed. More particularly, oral administration of OspA and compositions therefor for eliciting an immunological response against, such as a protective response preventive of Lyme disease are disclosed and claimed. Thus, oral Lyme disease vaccines or immunological compositions and methods of use are disclosed and claimed.

The present invention relates to DNA sequences encoding Vmp-like polypeptides of pathogenic Borrelia, the use of the DNA sequences in recombinant vectors to express polypeptides, the encoded amino acid sequences, application of the DNA and amino acid sequences to the production of polypeptides as antigens for immunoprophylaxis, immunotherapy, and immunodiagnosis. Also disclosed are the use of the nucleic acid sequences as probes or primers for the detection of organisms causing Lyme disease, relapsing fever, or related disorders, and kits designed to facilitate methods of using the described polypeptides, DNA segments and antibodies.

Vmp-like sequences of pathogenic Borrelia

All isolates characterized to date have one or a combination of several major outer surface proteins (Osp). Mutants of lacking Osp proteins were selected with polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies at a frequency of 10 to 10 . One mutant that lacked OspA, B, C and D was further characterized in the present study. It was distinguished from the OspA B cells by its (i) auto-aggregation and slower growth rate, (ii) decreased plating efficiency on solid medium, (iii) serum- and complement-sensitivity, and (iv) diminished capacity to adhere to human umbilical vein endothelial cells. The Osp-less mutant was unable to evoke a detectable immune response after intradermal live cell immunization even though mutant survived in the skin the same duration as wild-type cells. Polyclonal mouse serum raised against Osp-less cells inhibited growth of the mutant but not of wild-type cells, an indication that other antigens are present on the surface of the Osp-less mutant. Two different classes, A and B, of monoclonal antibodies (mAb) with growth inhibiting properties for mutant cells were produced. Class A mAbs bound to 13 kDa surface proteins of and of . The minimum inhibitory concentration of the Fab fragment of one mAb of this class was 0.2 &mgr;g/ml. Class B mAbs did not bind by Western Blot to a cells but reacted with cells in an unfixed cell immunofluorescence assay and growth inhibition assay. These studies revealed hitherto unknown functional aspects of Osp proteins, notably serum-resistance, and indicated that in the absence of Osp proteins other antigens are expressed or become accessible at the cell's surface.

Methods and compositions including a 13 kD B. burgdorferi protein

VMP-like sequences of pathogenic borrelia

VMP-like sequences of pathogenic Borrelia

Bites from , a hard tick, have been associated with a Lyme disease-like illness in the southeastern and south-central United States. Present in 2% of ticks collected in four states were uncultivable spirochetes. Through use of the polymerase chain reaction, partial sequences of the flagellin and 16s rRNA genes of microorganisms from Texas and New Jersey were obtained. The sequences showed that the spirochete was a Borrelia sp. but distinct from other known members of this genus, including , the agent of Lyme disease. Species-specific differences in the sequences of the flagellin protein, the flagellin gene and the 16s rRNA gene between the new Borrelia species and previously known species provide compositions and methods for assay for determining the presence of this new spirochete, or for providing evidence of past or present infection by this spirochete in animal reservoirs and humans.

Diagnostic test for borrelia infection

The present invention relates to nucleic acid molecules, polypeptides encoded by the same, antibodies directed thereto and a method of preparing such polypeptides including: (a) inserting an isolated DNA molecule coding for a polypeptide which is immunoreactive with a 66 kDa polypeptide derived from IP90 into an expression vector; (b) transforming a host organism or cell with the vector; (c) culturing the transformed host cell under suitable conditions; and (d) harvesting the polypeptide. The isolated DNA molecule is preferably at least 10 nucleotides in length, and the method may optionally include subjecting the polypeptide to post-translational modification. The host cell can be a bacterium, a yeast, a protozoan, or a cell derived from a multicellular organism such as a fungus, an insect cell, a plant cell, or a mammalian cell.

66 KDA antigen from Borrelia

Growing community of inventors

San Antonio, TX, United States of America

Alan G Barbour