Biomerieux, Inc.

Odile Letourneur

Guy Serre

Michel C Jolivet

Mireille Sebbag

Christian Vincent

Maria Léonor Nogueira

Brigitte Incaurgarat

B&eacute;n&eacute;dicte Watelet

Bénédicte Watelet

A method for detecting anti-filaggrin-autoantibodies specific to rheumatoid arthritis in a biological sample, by providing a filaggrin with no citrulline residues (FNC) having an arginine residue or a filaggrin peptide with no citrulline residues (PFNC) having an arginine residue. Also provided are a citrulline-containing filaggrin (FC) having the peptide sequence of the FNC where some arginine residues have been converted to citrulline residues or a citrulline-containing peptide (PFC) having the peptide sequence of the PFNC, where at least one arginine residue has been converted to a citrulline residue. The sample is contacted with the FNC or PFNC and the FC or PFC, and the resulting immune complexes are detected and quantified, with a value Xand X, respectively. Anti-filaggrin-autoantibodies specific to rheumatoid arthritis are determined to be present in the biological sample if the value of Xis greater than the value of X.

Method for detecting rheumatoid arthritis-specific autoantibodies

A cassette that functions in yeast cells allowing and controlling expression of HBc Ag, HBc Ag fragments and/or recombinant HBc Ag; a reagent for detection and/or monitoring of HBV infections that relies on a product of the cassette; processes for producing monoclonal and/or polyclonal antibodies to the product of the cassette; and processes for (1) diagnosis, (2) vaccine production, (3) vaccination, (4) pharmaceutical production and (5) treatment that rely on the product of the cassette and/or the monoclonal and/or polyclonal antibodies to the product of the cassette.

Hbc expression and diagnostic and therapeutic uses

Growing community of inventors

Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon, France

Odile Letourneur