76 results about "Apoptosis pathway" patented technology

This invention provides a non-radioactive assay to monitor and quantify the target-cell killing activities mediated by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). This assay is predicated on the discovery that apoptosis pathway activation and, in particular, granzyme B activity, provides a measure of cytotoxic effector cell activity. In one embodiment, measurement of CTL-induced granzyme B activation in target cells is achieved through detection of the specific cleavage of fluorogenic granzyme B substrates. This assay reliably detects antigen-specific CTL killing of target cells, and provides a more sensitive, more informative and safer alternative to the standard 51Cr-release assay most often used to quantify CTL responses. The assay can be used to study CTL-mediated killing of primary host target cells of different cell lineages, and enables the study of antigen-specific cellular immune responses in real time at the single-cell level. As such, the assay can provide a valuable tool for studies of infectious disease pathogenesis and development of new vaccines and immunotherapies.

Described is a replication competent recombinant virus, being capable to replicate and having lytic capacity in target cells, the said cell being hampered in the p53 dependent apoptosis pathway, the virus including in the genome thereof, the coding sequence of at least one restoring factor functional in restoring the p53 apoptosis pathway in the said target cells, operably linked to one or more expression control sequences, functional in the said target cells, as well as the use thereof in the preparation of a medicament, in particular for suppressing uncontrolled cell growth.

The present invention feature antisense IAP oligonucleotides and other negative regulators of the IAP anti-apoptotic pathway, and methods for using them to enhance apoptosis.

The present invention is directed to methods and agents used for treating cancer or infectious diseases by providing toll-like receptors such as toll-like receptor 5 (TLR-5) in combination with providing a toll-like receptor agonists such as flagellin resulting in a cis and in-trans effect that recruits cells involved in both the innate (cis effect) and adaptive (trans effect) immune response to specifically kill cancer cells and cells infected with a pathogen via the NF-κB apoptosis pathway.

The present invention provides compositions and methods to prevent apoptosis. In particular, provided herein are compositions and methods which prevent FAS-mediated photoreceptor apoptosis.

The invention relates to a biomarker for predicting the efficacy of an MDM2 inhibitor or a Bcl-2 / Bcl-xL dual inhibitor or a Bcl-2 inhibitor or a Bcl-xL inhibitor in the treatment of a cancer patient. The invention also provides a composition, e.g. a kit, for assessing the gene levels of biomarkers, and a method for using such gene levels to predict the response of a cancer patient to the MDM2 inhibitor or the Bcl-2 / Bcl-xL dual inhibitor or the Bcl-2 inhibitor or the Bcl-xL inhibitor. The information can be used to determine prognosis and treatment selection for cancer patients.

Cell suicide (apoptosis) is associated with pathogenesis, for example, it is the major cause for the loss of neurons in Alzheimer's disease. Caspase-3 is critically involved in the pathway of apoptosis. Superantibody (SAT)-trans-membrane technology has been used to produce antibodies against the caspase enzyme in an effort to inhibit apoptosis in living cells. The advantage of using trans-membrane antibodies as apoptosis inhibitors is their specific target recognition in the cell and their lower toxicity compared to conventional apoptosis inhibitors. It is shown that a MTS-transport-peptide modified monoclonal anti-caspase-3 antibody reduces actinomycin D-induced apoptosis and cleavage of spectrin in living cells. These results indicate that antibodies conjugated to a membrane transporter peptide have a therapeutic potential to inhibit apoptosis in a variety of diseases.