The current invention involves the use of protein lectins produced by plants including the non-toxic carbohydrate binding subunits (B subunits) of plant AB toxins (PTB lectins) as delivery vehicles for mobilizing associated drug substances for delivery to animal and human cells. The resulting protein fusions or conjugates retain lectin carbohydrate specificity for binding to cells and cellular trafficking activity so as to deliver an associated drug compound to the site of disease manifestation. One embodiment of this invention concerns the ability of ricin toxin B subunit, as a model PTB lectin, to deliver enzyme replacement therapeutic drugs to cells of several organs of the body including the brain and central nervous system, eyes, ears, lungs, bone, heart, kidney, liver, and spleen for treating lysosomal diseases.

Provided herein are antibodies specific for nucleophosmin 1 (NPM1), which are capable of binding to wild-type and/or mutant nucleophosmin 1 located on the surface of cells. These antibodies, as well as antibody conjugates comprising these antibodies, are useful for the detection and treatment of cancers in which NPM1 is expressed on the surface of cancer cells.

The present invention provides methods for treating a neurodegenerative disease in a subject, preventing a neurodegenerative disease in a subject, increasing neurons in a region of the brain of a subject, increasing small ubiquitin-like modifier 1 (SUMO-1) in a region of the brain of a subject, reducing Sentrin-specific protease 1 (SENP-1) in a region of the brain of a subject, reducing Serine 129 phosphorylated alpha-synuclein in a region of the brain of a subject, reducing SENP-1 nuclear translocalization from the cytosol and/or reducing protein aggregates in a region of the brain of a subject. The method comprises administering to the subject an effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising a specific SENP-1 inhibitor. The specific SENP-1 inhibitor may be selected from the group consisting of SUMO-2 aldehyde, momordin lc, streptonigrin, hinokiflavone, siRNA of SENP-1, and a combination thereof. Also provided is the pharmaceutical composition.

The present invention relates to an expression system for a genetically encoded protein synthesis inhibitor containing RNA N-glycosidase activity split into two components. The expression system can be combined with genetic targeting systems to achieve cell- and/or tissue-type-specific and/or temporally-specific control of protein synthesis in a host, particularly in a mammalian host.