Max-planck-gesellschaft Zur F&#xf6;rderung Der Wissenschaften E. V.

Other

Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin

Greiner Bio-one Gmbh

National Public Health Institute

Alaeris Theranostics Gmbh

Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum Stiftung Des Offentlichen Rechts

Alacris Theranostics Gmbh

Hans Lehrach

Erich Wanker

Karl Skriner

Zoltán Konthur

David Bancroft

Gillian Bates

Tatiana Borodina

Aleksey Soldatov

Niels Wedemeyer

Sebastian Meier-Ewert

Elmar Maier

Eberhard Scherzinger

Leena Peltonen

Günther Knebel

Jörn Glökler

Guido Sauter

Lajos Nyársik

Doris Lechner

Stefan Boerno

Hans-Joerg Warnatz

Thorsten Schlomm

Holger Friedrich Heinrich Eickhoff

Johanna Aaltonen

Holger Sueltmann

Petra Björses

Jaakko Perheentupa

Aarno Palotie

Joern Gloekler

Nina Horelli-Kuitunen

Marie-Laure Yaspo

Michal Schweiger

Ivo Glynne Gut

Kurt Berlin

Christoph Wierling

Ralf Herwig

Michal-Ruth Schweiger

Holger Sültmann

Zoltan Konthur

Bodo M H Lange

Alexey Shadrin

Hans-Jörg Warnatz

Christina Grimm

Stefan Börno

The invention refers to a method for diagnosing an individual who is to be subjected to or is being subjected to an anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF&#x3b1; or TNF) treatment to assess the responsiveness to an anti-TNF treatment which comprises the detection of immunoglobulin(s) against one or more biomarker proteins in a bodily fluid or an excrement of said patient, and sorting the individual into one of two categories based on detection of said immunoglobulin(s), wherein individuals are classified as NON-responder or responder. The invention refers to diagnostic kits comprising said one or more biomarker proteins and the use of these kits for assessing the responsiveness to an anti-TNF treatment of an individual who is to be subjected to or is being subjected to an anti-TNF&#x3b1; treatment.

Biomarker for the prediction of responsiveness to an anti-tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF) treatment

The invention refers to a method for diagnosing an individual who is to be subjected to or is being subjected to an anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF&#x3b1; or TNF) treatment to asses the responsiveness to an anti-TNF treatment which comprises the detection of immunoglobulin(s) against one or more biomarker proteins in a bodily fluid or an excrement of said patient, and sorting the individual into one of two categories based on detection of said immunoglobulin(s), wherein individuals are classified as NON-responder or responder. The invention refers to diagnostic kits comprising said one or more biomarker proteins and the use of these kits for assessing the responsiveness to an anti-TNF treatment of an individual who is to be subjected to or is being subjected to an anti-TNF&#x3b1; treatment.

The invention relates to a method for linking at least two target nucleic acid molecules from a single biological compartment, comprising the steps of isolating a fraction from a sample, wherein the fraction comprises the compartment comprising at least two nucleic acid molecules, diluting the fraction and aliquoting the dilution in multiple separate reaction vessels such that each reaction vessel comprises preferably one compartment, or encapsulating the compartment in emulsion droplets such that each droplet comprises preferably one compartment; linking the at least two target nucleic acid molecules, preferably by overlap extension PCR. The method may be employed in the analysis of mutations present in a single cell and in the production of antibodies which are present in a single hybridoma.

Method for linking and characterising linked nucleic acids, E.G. antibody encoding nucleic acids, in a composition

The invention relates to the identification and selection of novel genomic regions (biomarker) and the identification and selection of novel genomic region combinations which are hypermethylated in subjects with prostate cancer compared to subjects without prostate cancer. Nucleic acids which selectively hybridize to the genomic regions and products thereof are also encompassed within the scope of the invention as are compositions and kits containing said nucleic acids and nucleic acids for use in diagnosing prostate cancer. Further encompassed by the invention is the use of nucleic acids which selectively hybridize to one of the genomic regions or products thereof to monitor disease regression in a patient and the efficacy of therapeutic regimens.

Prostate cancer markers

The present invention pertains to a diagnostic assay for the diagnosis of an autoimmune disease. The present invention provides an improved diagnostic assay for the diagnosis of an autoimmune disease, particularly rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). In particular the invention pertains to a method of determining in a sample of a subject the presence of two or more antibodies comprising the step of determining whether an antibody is present in a sample that specifically recognizes a hnRNP-DL polypeptide or a fragment thereof or a splice variant thereof and the further step of determining whether at least one further antibody is present in the sample that specifically recognizes a at least one other hnRNP polypeptide which is not sequence homologue to said hnRNP-DL polypeptide or fragments thereof or splice variants thereof, and/or said CCP peptide and/or a polypeptide comprising at least the Fc-part of IgG, respectively. The invention also relates to polypeptides, protein sets and antibodies that may be used in such methods and assays and for therapeutic use in RA and SLE patients.

Diagnostic prediction of rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus

Objective of the present invention is to provide a method for keeping of directional information in double-stranded DNA. We suggest to convert polynucleotide into a hybrid double-stranded DNA. One particular strand of this hybrid double-stranded DNA should be synthesised using at least one modified nucleotide. Thus, this particular strand would contain modified nucleotides along the whole length. Density of directional markers would not depend on the length of polynucleotides. Any internal fragments of the hybrid double-stranded DNA would have directional information. When it is necessary the modified strand may be easily degraded or separated from the other strand. It was found that such hybrid double-stranded DNA may be easily generated in a number of molecular biology tasks and may be used for molecular cloning, library preparation and strand separation.

Method for differentiation of polynucleotide strands

Objective of the present invention is to provide a method for keeping of directional information in double-stranded DNA. We suggest to convert polynucleotide into a hybrid double-stranded DNA. One particular strand of this hybrid double-stranded DNA should be synthesized using at least one modified nucleotide. Thus, this particular strand would contain modified nucleotides along the whole length. Density of directional markers would not depend on the length of polynucleotides. Any internal fragments of the hybrid double-stranded DNA would have directional information. When it is necessary the modified strand may be easily degraded or separated from the other strand. It was found that such hybrid double-stranded DNA may be easily generated in a number of molecular biology tasks and may be used for molecular cloning, library preparation and strand separation.

The present invention relates to methods of detecting the presence of detergent- or urea-insoluble amyloid-like fibrils or protein aggregates on filters. Preferably, said fibrils or aggregates are indicative of a disease, preferably of a neurodegenerative disease such as Alzheimer's disease or Huntington's disease. In addition, the present invention relates to inhibitors identified by the method of the invention, to pharmaceutical compositions comprising said inhibitors and to diagnostic compositions useful for the investigation of said amyloid-like fibrils or aggregates.

Method of detecting amyloid-like fibrils or protein aggregates

The present invention relates to novel compositions useful for elucidating the onset or progress of diseases such as Huntington's disease, that are associated with the formation of fibrils or protein aggregates. Further, the present invention relates to methods for monitoring formation of fibrils or protein aggregates as well as to methods for identifying inhibitors of fibril or protein aggregate formation. Additionally, the invention relates to inhibitors of the formation of fibrils or protein aggregates identified by the method of the invention as well as to pharmaceutical compositions that include the inhibitors.

Composition and method for the detection of diseases associated with amyloid-like fibril or protein aggregate formation

The invention relates to a reaction vessel () for producing a sample, in particular a crystal, from a substance in solution or in liquid form, having several reaction chambers () each forming a separate gas chamber, consisting of at least one housing part, and each reaction chamber () has a reservoir () and several reaction areas () co-operating therewith, connected to one another and to the reservoir () in order to exchange gas. The reservoirs and the reaction areas co-operating with them are disposed immediately adjacent to one another in rows, distributed in a predeterminable, identical manner, these rows running parallel with one another. Each row of reservoirs () therefore co-operates with at least one row of reaction areas ().

Reaction vessel

APECED (Autoimmune polyendocrinopathy candidiasis ectodermal dystrophy) is the only described systemic autoimmune disease with monogenic background. We have isolated a novel polynucleotide in chromosome 21q22.3 and identified five different mutations APECED patients originating from different populations. We named polypeptide, which is encoded by the said polynucleotide, APGD1 (i.e., autoimmune polyglandular disease type 1). The APGD1 polypeptide consists of 545 amino acid residues comprising two Cys(4)-His-Cys(3) double-paired finger motif similar to the PHD finger domains (zinc finger-like motifs). The identification of the polynucleotide facilitates direct genetic diagnosis of APECED and provides tools for dissection of the molecular pathogenesis of the disease.

Nucleic acid molecule encoding a (poly)peptide co-segregating in mutated form with Autoimmune Polyendocrinopathy Candidiasis Ectodermal Dystrophy (APECED)

The present invention relates to an improved method for the identification and optionally the characterisation of interacting molecules designed to detect positive clones from the rather large numbers of false positive clones isolated by conventional two-hybrid systems. The method of the invention relies on a novel combination of selection steps used to detect clones that express interacting molecules from false positive clones. The present invention provides for high-throughput interaction screens for the reliable identification of interacting molecules, which in turn can lead to the identification of substances inhibiting said interactions. Such inhibitors can find their use in the formulation of a pharmaceutical composition. The present invention further relates to kits useful for carrying out the method of the invention.

Method for the identification and characterization of interacting molecules by automated interaction mating

The present invention relates to an improved method for the identification and optionally the characterization of interacting molecules designed to detect positive clones from the rather large numbers of false positive clones isolated by two-hybrid systems. The method of the invention relies on a novel combination of selection steps used to detect clones that express interacting molecules from false positive clones. The present invention further relates to a kit useful for carrying out the method of the invention. The present invention provides for parallel, high-throughput or automated interaction screens for the reliable identification of interacting molecules.

Identification and characterization of interacting molecules

The invention presents a method for examining genetic material (deoxyribonucleic acid, DNA) to detect the presence of pre-known mutations, especially single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP), using mass spectrometry with ionization by matrix-assisted laser desorption (MALDI). The invention uses nucleoside triphosphates with modified sites for the method of primer extension in a duplicating, enzymatic reaction and at least partially removal of primers from the extension product, in combination with product neutralization by chemical treatment of the modified sites, so that the resulting DNA products can be, by using special matrix materials, preferredly ionized in an adduct-free form over other constituents in the reaction solution without any further cleaning. The method is particularly suitable for simultaneous identification of several mutations by multiplexing.

Mutation analysis using mass spectrometry

Growing community of inventors

Berlin, Germany

Hans Lehrach