Hvidovre Hospital

Virogates A/s

Virogates Aps

Jesper Eugen-Olsen

Jens Bukh

Judith Margarete Gottwein

Troels Kasper Høyer Scheel

Ove Andersen

Steen B Haugaard

Tanja Bertelsen Jensen

Morten Ruhwald

Pernille Ravn

The invention concerns a marker for low-grade inflammation and metabolic syndrome (MS) and MS-related diseases and/or low-grade inflammation-related diseases such as cardiovascular disease, ischemic heart disease and type 2 diabetes. More particularly it concerns the measurement of the concentration of soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) in human biological fluids (sputum, cystic fluid, ascites, serum, plasma, urine) as a tool of diagnosing and/or prognosticating low-grade inflammation and metabolic syndrome and the risk of development of the related diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, ischemic heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Methods of selecting and treating subjects with low-grade inflammation and metabolic disorders

A robust and genetically stable cell culture system for Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) genotype 3a is provided. A genotype 3a/2a (S52/JFH1) recombinant containing the structural genes (Core, E1, E2), p7 and NS2 of strain S52 was constructed and characterized in Huh7.5 cells. S52/JFH1 and J6/JFH viruses passaged in cell culture had comparable growth kinetics and yielded similar peak HCV RNA titers and infectivity titers. Direct genome sequencing of cell culture derived S52/JFH1 viruses identified putative adaptive mutations in Core, E2, p7, NS3, and NS5A; clonal analysis revealed that all genomes analyzed exhibited different combinations of these mutations. Finally, viruses resulting from transfection with RNA transcripts of five S52/JFH1 recombinants containing these combinations of putative adaptive mutations performed as efficiently as J6/JFH viruses in Huh7.5 cells and were all genetically stable after viral passage.

Cell culture system of a hepatitis C genotype 3a and 2a chimera

The invention concerns a marker for low-grade inflammation and metabolic syndrome (MS) and MS-related diseases and/or low-grade inflammation-related diseases such as cardiovasculardisease, ischemic heart disease and type 2 diabetes. More particularly it concerns the measurement of the concentration of soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) in human biological fluids (sputum, cystic fluid, ascites, serum, plasma, urine) as a tool of diagnosing and/or prognosticating low-grade inflammation and metabolic syndrome and the risk of development of the related diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, ischemic heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Method for predicting cancer and other diseases

The present inventors developed 5a/2a intergenotypic recombinants in which the JFH1 structural genes (Core, E1 and E2), p7 and all of or part of NS2 were replaced by the corresponding genes of the genotype 5a reference strain SA13. Compared to the J6/JFH control virus, after transfection of in vitro transcripts in Huh7.5 cells, production of infectious viruses was delayed. However, in subsequent viral passages efficient spread of infection and HCV RNA titers as high as for J6/JFH were obtained. Infectivity titers were at all time points analyzed comparable to J6/JFH control virus. Sequence analysis of recovered 5a/2a recombinants from 2 serial passages and subsequent reverse genetic studies revealed adaptive mutations in p7, NS2 and/or NS3. Infectivity of the 5a/2a viruses was CD81 and SR-BI dependant, and the recombinant viruses could be neutralized by chronic phase sera from patients infected with genotype 5a. Conclusion: The developed 5a/2a viruses provide a robust in vitro tool for research in HCV genotype 5, including vaccine studies and functional analyses of an increasingly important genotype in South Africa and Europe.

Efficient cell culture system for hepatitis C virus genotype 5A

The present inventors developed three 4a/2a intergenotypic recombinants in which the JFH1 structural genes (Core, E1 and E2), p7 and all of or part of NS2 were replaced by the corresponding genes of the genotype 4a reference strain ED43. The 4a/2a junction in NS2 was placed after the first transmembrane domain (&#x3b1;), in the cytoplasmic part (&#x3b2;) or at the NS2/NS3 cleavage site (y). Following transfection of Huh7.5 cells with RNA transcripts, infectious viruses were produced in the ED43/JFH1-&#x3b2; and -y cultures only. Compared to the 2a control virus, production of infectious viruses was significantly delayed. However, in subsequent passages efficient spread of infection and high HCV RNA titers were obtained. Infectivity titers were approximately 10-fold lower than for the 2a control virus. Sequence analysis of recovered 4a/2a recombinants from 3 serial passages and subsequent reverse genetic studies revealed a vital dependence on a mutation in the NS2 4a part. ED43/JFH1-&#x3b3; further depended on a second NS2 mutation. Infectivity of the 4a/2a viruses was CD81 dependent. Conclusion: The developed 4a/2a viruses provide a robust in vitro tool for research in HCV genotype 4, including vaccine studies and functional analyses of an increasingly important genotype in the Middle East and Europe.

Adaptive mutations allow establishment of JFH1-based cell culture systems for hepatitis C virus genotype 4A

The present invention relates to an immunological method and, more particularly, a method for measuring cell-mediated immune reactivity (CMI) in mammals based on the production of IP-10. The invention further discloses an assay and a kit for measuring CMI to an antigen using whole blood or other suitable biological samples. The methods of the present invention are useful in therapeutic and diagnostic protocols for human, livestock and veterinary and wild life applications, thus the invention further relates to a method for diagnosing an infection in a mammal.

IP-10 based immunological monitoring

Method of diagnosing and/or prognosticating HIV infection in a subject comprising the steps of: (a) performing in vitro a measurement of the level of a marker in the form of (i) urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR), (ii) soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR), (iii) urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA), (iv) one or more degradation products of (i), (ii) or (iii), and/or (v) an mRNA for (i), (ii) or (iii), in a biological fluid sample from a subject, and (b) using the measurement value obtained to evaluate the state of the subject.

Method of prognosticating respiratory bacterial infection using urokinse receptor measurement

Method of diagnosing and/or prognosticating HIV infection in a subject comprising the steps of: (a) performing in vitro a measurement of the level of a marker in the form of (i) urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR), (ii) soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR), (iii) urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA), (iv) one or more degradation products of (i), (ii), or (iii), and/or (v) an mRNA for (i), (ii) or (iii), in a biological fluid sample from a subject, and (b) using the measurement value obtained to evaluate the state of the subject.

Method and tool for prognosticating HIV infection in a subject by measuring soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor, degradation products thereof, and urokinase plasminogen activator receptor

Growing community of inventors

Hellerup, Denmark

Jesper Eugen-Olsen