Nippon Zoki Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

Tokyo Medical and Dental University

National Center for Child Health and Development

Hiroshi Asahara

Tomoki Chiba

Kentaro Abe

Satoshi Yamashita

Mitsuru Naiki

Kensuke Kataoka

Provided are an expression inhibitor of a cancer promoting factor based on the discovery of a new factor influencing the expression amount/level of a cancer promoting factor, and a development tool therefor. Provided are also a diagnostic agent and a diagnosis method for cancer. More specifically provided are: an expression inhibitor of a cancer promoting factor containing at least one kind of inhibitor selected from the group consisting of RBMS expression inhibitor and RBMS function inhibitor; a screening method using as an indicator the expression or the function of RBMS; an expression cassette useful for the method; as well as a diagnostic agent containing a product detection agent for RBMS gene expression and cancer detection method using as an indicator RBMS gene expression amount/level.

Method for inhibiting the expression of cancer-promoting factors

Provided are an expression inhibitor of an inflammation promoting factor based on the discovery of a new factor influencing the expression amount/level of an inflammation promoting factor, and a development tool therefor. Provided are also a diagnostic agent and a diagnosis method for immune diseases, inflammatory diseases, painful conditions and similar. More specifically provided are: an expression inhibitor of an inflammation promoting factor containing at least one kind of inhibitor selected from the group consisting of RBMS2 expression inhibitor and RBMS2 function inhibitor; a screening method using as an indicator the expression or the function of RBMS2; an expression cassette useful for the method; as well as a diagnostic agent containing a product detection agent for RBMS2 gene expression and disease detection method using as an indicator RBMS2 gene expression amount/level.

Method for inhibiting the expression of inflammation promoting factors

The present invention relates to providing artificial tendon or ligament tissue having sufficient strength. More specifically, artificial tendon or ligament tissue having sufficient strength is provided by embedding collagen-secreting cells in a gel having strength capable of resisting a tensile load and by culturing the cells while applying a tensile load to the gel to produce artificial tendon or ligament tissue. Cells that steadily express the Mkx gene can be used as the collagen-secreting cells. A fibrin gel containing aprotinin can be used as the gel.

Artificial tendon or ligament tissue produced using three-dimensional mechanosignaling cell culture system

An object of the present invention is to provide DNA which regulates the expression of miR-140, a reporter vector which contains the DNA, cells and animals into which the reporter vector is introduced and a screening system for drugs which control the expression of miR-140 and is also to contribute in the development of new therapeutic agents for cartilage diseases such as osteoarthritis and intervertebral disk degeneration using the screening system. The DNA sequence according to the present invention is able to express any gene in a site where miR-140 is expressed and, in addition, it is also able to be utilized for screening a drug which regulates the expression of miR-140. Moreover, the drug that is selected by the screening system of the present invention is expected as a therapeutic agent for cartilage diseases accompanied by abnormality of cartilage.

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Tokyo, Japan

Hiroshi Asahara