Hitachi Chemical Company, Ltd.

Hitachi Chemical Research Center, Inc.

Kazuhiko Obara

Hiroshi Izutsu

Akira Matsumoto

Masato Mitsuhashi

Katsuya Endo

Shuji Ohta

A method for predicting patient responsiveness to rheumatoid arthritis treatments involving altering expression of tumor necrosis factor superfamily ('TNFSF')-2, TNFSF-8, or TNFSF-15 is disclosed. A method for monitoring the effectiveness of such therapy is also disclosed. Furthermore, a method of screening compounds for use in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis is disclosed. A method of monitoring the disease state over time in rheumatoid arthritis patients is also disclosed.

Enhanced FC receptor-mediated tumor necrosis factor superfamily MRNA expression in peripheral blood leukocytes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

antigenic polypeptides, which comprise polypeptide A containing a sequence of at least 5 consecutive amino acids in the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 1; DNAs encoding the antigenic polypeptides, or DNAs complementary thereto; a method for production of an anti- antibody, wherein the antigenic polypeptide is used as an antigen; a method for detection and/or measurement of an anti- antibody, which comprise the antigenic polypeptide as an antigen; agents for diagnosis of infections, which comprise the antigenic polypeptide as an active ingredient; fused proteins of an antigenic polypeptide of with dihydrofolate reudctase; a method for production of an anti- antibody, wherein the fused protein is used as an antigen; reagents for detection and/or measurement of an anti- antibody, which comprise the fused protein as an antigen; agents for diagnosis of infections, which comprise the fused protein as an active ingredient.

Chlamydia pneumoniae antigenic polypeptide

antigenic polypeptides, which comprise polypeptide A containing a sequence of at least 5 consecutive amino acids in the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 1, DNAs encoding the antigenic polypeptides, or DNAs complementary thereto; a method for detection and/or measurement of an anti- antibody, wherein the antigenic polypeptide is used as an antigen; reagents for detection and/or measurement of an anti- antibody, which comprise the antigenic polypeptide as an antigen; agents for diagnosis of infections, which comprise the antigenic polypeptide as an active ingredient; fused proteins of an antigenic polypeptide of with dihydrotolate reductase, in which polypeptide A containing a sequence of at least 5 consecutive amino acids in the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 1 is bound to the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 14 either directly or via an intervening amino acid or amino acid sequence; DNAs encoding the fused proteins, or DNAs complementary thereto.

Method of detecting anti-Chlamydia pneumoniae antibody using Chlamydia pneumoniae-specific antigens

antigenic polypeptides, which comprise polypeptide A containing a sequence of at least 5 consecutive amino acids in the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 1; DNAs encoding the antigenic polypeptides, or DNAs complementary thereto; DNAs encoding the probes and primers for detection and/or measurement of gene. The present invention further provides a method for detection and/or measurement of gene, wherein the probe or primer is used; reagents for detection and/or measurement of gene, which comprise the probe or primer; and agents for diagnosis of infections, which comprise the probe or primer as an active ingredient.

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Ibaraki, Japan

Kazuhiko Obara