University of Miami

University of Alberta

Nova Southeastern University

Mary A Fletcher

Gordon Broderick

Nancy Klimas

Zachary Barnes

A general method of analyzing immune signaling networks for identification of potential therapeutic targets in complex, chronic medical disorders is described. The disclosure provides the CD3&#x2212;/CD56+ natural killer (NK) cell population as a potential therapeutic target in the clinically-overlapping disorders Gulf War Illness (GWI) and Myalg Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). The disclosure also provides a method for improving or restoring Natural Killer (NK) cell function by stimulating the NK cells with interleukin-15 (IL-15).

Analyzing immune signaling networks for identification of therapeutic targets in complex chronic medical disorders

Preparations useful in the diagnosis of infectious mononucleosis are disclosed. Horse and sheep erythrocytes are purified and essentially homogenous glycoproteins are extracted. The purified glycoproteins are useful as antigens in testing for the presence of the heterophile antibodies of infectious mononucleosis and in the preparation of reagents for the enumeration of rosetting lymphocytes without having to have available fresh sheep blood.

New purified glycoproteins and use in diagnosing infectious mononucleosis

A novel purification scheme is described for obtaining two novel and useful forms of bovine glycoprotein (BGP) from bovine erythrocytes, each of which acts as an antigen in testing for the presence of the heterophile antibodies of human infectious mononucleosis. The first, or partially purified, BGP is obtained from crude BGP and contains about 10% by weight of a complex glycoplipid. It forms a single band upon gel electrophoresis at pH 7.0 under specified conditions. The second, or homogeneous, BGP is obtained by removing essentially all of the complex glycolipid. It forms substantially a single band upon gel electrophoresis at pH 7.0 under specified conditions. Both forms may be used to detect or quantify hemagglutination inhibition of a test sample (and hence to determine the presence or extent to mononucleosis infection) in a glass slide test wherein the partially purified or homogeneous BGP is carried on latex or synthetic resin beads. The homogeneous BGP is also useful in an immunoassay, preferably a radioimmunoassay, for heterophile antibodies characteristic of infectious mononucleosis.

Growing community of inventors

Miami, FL, United States of America

Mary A Fletcher