The inventive subject matter relates to the methods for the induction of immunity and prevention of diarrhea resulting from Escherichia coli. The inventive subject matter also relates to the use Escherichia coli adhesins as immunogens and to the construction of conformationally stability and protease resistant Escherichia coli adhesin constructs useful for inducing immunity to Escherichia coli pathogenic bacteria. The methods provide for the induction of B-cell mediated immunity and for the induction of antibody capable of inhibiting the adherence and colonization of Escherichia coli, including enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, to human cells.

The present invention relates, inter alia, to certain hepcidin peptide analogues, including peptides and dimers thereof, and to the use of the peptides and peptide dimers in the treatment and/or prevention of a variety of diseases, conditions or disorders, including treatment and/or prevention of iron overload diseases, which include hereditary hemochromatosis and iron-loading anemias, and other conditions and disorders described herein.

This disclosure provides ActRII-binding proteins such as anti-ActRIIA and anti-ActRIIB antibodies, and compositions and methods for making the ActRII-binding proteins. In certain aspects the ActRII-binding proteins inhibit, or antagonize ActRII activity. In addition, the disclosure provides compositions and methods for diagnosing and treating diseases and conditions associated muscle wasting; a fibrotic condition; an inflammatory, cardiovascular, pulmonary, musculoskeletal, neurologic, ocular, skeletal, autoimmune, or metabolic disease or condition; wound healing; and cancer, and other ActRII-mediated diseases and conditions.

The present invention relates to a method for identifying inhibitors of breast cancer metastasis based on a screening with proteins that are specific for the secretome of a chondrocyte, preferably cytokines and/or chemokines. The ligands as identified lead to a decrease of the migration and/or a re-differentiation of a breast cancer cell and/or a reduction of the number and/or size of breast cancer metastases. The present invention further relates to a method for detecting breast cancer metastasis, comprising the step of detecting at least one protein that is specific for the secretome of a chondrocyte, and for methods for treating and/or preventing breast cancer metastasis in a patient in need thereof, comprising the step of administering an effective amount of at least one ligand for one protein that is specific for the secretome of a chondrocyte to said patient in need thereof.

An activity-based nanosensor composition for detecting protease activity comprising a cleavable detectable substrate and methods of use are disclosed.

The invention is directed to isomeric mixtures of cyclosporine analogues that are structurally similar to cyclosporine A. The mixtures possess enhanced efficacy and reduced toxicity over the individual isomers and over naturally occurring and other presently known cyclosporines and cyclosporine derivatives. Embodiments of the present invention are directed toward cis and trans-isomers of cyclosporin A analogs referred to as ISA.sub.TX247, and derivatives thereof. Mixtures of ISA.sub.TX247 isomers exhibit a combination of enhanced potency and reduced toxicity over the naturally occurring and presently known cyclosporins. ISA.sub.TX247 isomers and alkylated, arylated, and deuterated derivatives are synthesized by stereoselective pathways where the particular conditions of a reaction determine the degree of stereoselectivity. The ratio of isomers in a mixture comprises from about 70 to about 80 percent by weight of the E-isomer and from about 20 to about 30 percent by weight of the Z-isomer, based on the total weight of the mixture.

The invention relates to a method for inhibiting an ADAM protease, comprising inhibiting binding to an integrin-binding loop of a disintegrin domain in the ADAM protease. Also provided are cyclic peptides which inhibit binding to an integrin-binding loop of an ADAM protease, as well as associated pharmaceutical compositions, uses and methods of treatment.

Disclosed are hypersensitive-response eliciting peptides that exhibit improved solubility, stability, resistance to chemical degradation, or a combination of these properties. Use of these peptides or fusion polypeptides, or DNA constructs encoding the same, for modulating plant biochemical signaling, imparting disease resistance to plants, enhancing plant growth, imparting tolerance to biotic stress, imparting tolerance and resistance to abiotic stress, imparting desiccation resistance to cuttings removed from ornamental plants, imparting post-harvest disease or post-harvest desiccation resistance to a fruit or vegetable, or enhancing the longevity of fruit or vegetable ripeness are also disclosed.

The present invention relates to the use of prodrugs susceptible to nitroreductase (NTR) activation. In particular, provided herein are mitochondria-targeting prodrug compounds and probes, including profluore scent near-infrared (NIR) probes and non-fluorescent prodrugs, as well as to methods of using said prodrug compounds and probes for imaging mitochondria and for mitochondria-specific delivery of therapeutic agents.

The present invention provides an agent, or a composition containing an agent, for use in treating or preventing a bacterial infection in a subject, wherein said agent comprises: (i) an oligopeptidic compound comprising a PCNA interacting motif and a domain that facilitates the cellular uptake of said compound,
wherein the PCNA interacting motif is X.sub.1X.sub.2X.sub.3X.sub.4X.sub.5 (SEQ ID NO: 1) and
wherein: X.sub.1 is a basic amino acid; X.sub.2 is an aromatic amino acid; X.sub.3 is an uncharged amino acid other than an aromatic amino acid, Glycine (G) and Proline (P); X.sub.4 is any amino acid other than Proline (P), an acidic amino acid or an aromatic amino acid; and X.sub.5 is a basic amino acid or Proline (P); or (ii) a nucleic acid molecule comprising a sequence encoding the oligopeptidic compound of (i). In certain aspects the agent and compositions of the invention may be used as single agents. In other aspects of the invention agents and compositions of the invention may be used in conjunction with one or more additional active agents, such as antibiotics.