Embodiments of the invention include a fusion protein and/or cathepsin S inhibitors that comprise an antibody scaffold protein comprising a full-length antibody or a Fab fragment, and a propeptide of procathepsin S, such that the propeptide of procathepsin S is grafted into one or more complementarity determining regions (CDR) of the full-length antibody, or the propeptide of procathepsin S is grafted onto an N-terminus or C-terminus of a light chain and/or a heavy chain of the Fab fragment.

Methods for differentiating full-length high molecular weight kininogen (HMWK) and cleaved HMWK in a sample are provided herein. Such methods may comprise treating a biological sample with a protease to generate a plurality of digested peptides, and measuring one or more signature peptides, which are indicative of cleaved HMWK and/or full-length HMWK.

This invention provides systems and methods for arresting, treating and/or preventing diseases caused by amyloid deposits of proteins. This invention teaches procedures and therapeutic compositions for controlling amyloids and related plaque deposits. This invention is applicable to common diseases including, but not limited to: Alzheimer's, cardiovascular, stroke, arterial sclerosis, etc. By addressing plaque development at the earliest stages involving protein-protein interaction, plaque growth is decreased or eliminated and the balance of plaque deposition/management is switched to favor the body's natural aberrant protein removal mechanisms. The invention also simple provides procedures and/or kits for effective analysis to achieve earliest detection. Analysis may be undertaken in a clinical setting, but the present invention provides systems and methods for obtaining the relevant information in person by the patient or by an associate with no clinical training required.

Provided is a system for protecting plants from attack by pests, including pathogens such as fungi. Specifically, a plant defensin is provided in conjunction with a protease inhibitor protects a plant from pest attack or reduces severity of an attack.

The present disclosure provides engineered PD-L1-binding Stefin A polypeptide variants, polynucleotides encoding the engineered PD-L1-binding Stefin A polypeptide variants, cells expressing the polypeptide variants, pharmaceutical preparations of the polypeptide variants, and uses of the polypeptide variants in the treatment of various human conditions, including cancer.

The invention relates to compositions and methods for the preparation, manufacture and therapeutic use of modified polynucleotides comprising at least one intrabody construct.

The present disclose relates to anti-inflammatory proteins/peptides, their uses, methods of preparation and methods of their detection. In particular, the invention relates to major royal jelly proteins modified by methyglyoxal and fragments thereof from a Leptospermum derived honey and royal jelly.

The present invention relates to a fusion protein comprising a protein transduction domain capable of introducing the fusion protein into a mammalian cell and an anti-apoptotic protein comprising the amino acid of the sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 or an anti-apoptotically active variant or fragment thereof. The invention also relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising such a fusion protein, in particular for blocking apoptosis in a patient in need thereof. The invention also provides a polynucleotide encoding such a fusion protein, an expression vector comprising the polynucleotide and a host cell comprising the expression vector. In a further aspect, the invention relates to the use of any of theses materials for the preparation of a medicament for blocking apoptosis in a patient in need thereof.

An isolated peptide comprising a Huntingtin (Htt) amino acid sequence being no longer than 15 amino acids, wherein said Htt amino acid sequence comprises the sequence X.sub.1X.sub.2X.sub.3X.sub.4 X.sub.5, wherein X.sub.1 is a hydrophobic amino acid or threonine, X.sub.2 is a hydrophobic amino acid, X.sub.3 is a hydrophobic amino acid, X.sub.4 is an acidic amino acid and X.sub.5 is selected from the group consisting of glycine, serine and alanine, the peptide capable of specifically inhibiting the activity of caspase 6.

There are disclosed compounds that modulate the activity of inhibitors of apoptosis (IAPs), pharmaceutical compositions containing said compounds and methods of treating proliferative disorders and disorders of dysregulated apoptosis, such as cancer, utilizing the compounds of the invention.