Methods of prognosing the outcome of cancer and/or cancer treatment are provided. The methods involve quantitating the level of methylation at a site that regulates expression of the mda-9/Syntenin gene, site cg17197774. High levels of methylation indicate a good prognosis whereas low levels of methylation indicate a poor prognosis and determination of these levels permits risk stratification of patients with cancer.

The present invention relates to methods and uses of a biologically derived nucleosome preparation which contains a defined amount or concentration of nucleosomes expressed in absolute units of mass or concentration as a calibrant in a comparative analytical procedure.

Provided is a method for diagnosing and/or staging COPD based on detection of one or more histone proteins. In some embodiments, the histone protein is an H3.3 protein comprising a post-translational modification. In some embodiments, the histone protein is H2B, H3, H3.3 or H4. Kits for practicing the methods of diagnosis and/or staging are provided as well. Further provided is a method for treating COPD.

The invention discloses the use of an artificial protein for isolating a nucleosome, the nucleosome comprising a multiple-modified histone protein octamer, wherein the artificial protein comprises a first histone modification binding domain of 50 to 200 amino acids binding to a first histone modification, a second histone modification binding domain of 50 to 200 amino acids binding to a second histone modification, a linker of 5 to 50 amino acids connecting the first and the second histone modification binding domain, and an affinity tag. Further disclosed are a nucleic acid encoding the artificial protein, a host cell comprising the nucleic acid and a kit for isolating a nucleosome, the nucleosome comprising a multiple-modified histone protein octamer. Further disclosed is an in-vitro method for isolating a nucleosome having a first and a second histone modification.

Provided herein is technology for esophageal disorder screening and particularly, but not exclusively, to methods, compositions, and related uses for detecting the presence of esophageal disorders (e.g., Barrett's esophagus, Barrett's esophageal dysplasia, etc.). In addition, the technology provides methods, compositions and related uses for distinguishing between Barrett's esophagus and Barrett's esophageal dysplasia, and between Barrett's esophageal low-grade dysplasia, Barrett's esophageal high-grade dysplasia, and esophageal adenocarcinoma within samples obtained through endoscopic brushing or nonendoscopic whole esophageal brushing or swabbing using a tethered device (e.g. such as a capsule sponge, balloon, or other device).

Disclosed in the present application are: (i) a compound inhibiting the interaction between LSD1me2 and CHD1 for use in therapy, (ii) a compound inhibiting the interaction between LSD1me2 and CHD1 for use in treating cancer, in particular pro state cancer, and (iii) a method of screening for such a compound.

The invention provides a method of detecting the presence, absence or severity of a disease in a patient wherein said disease is accompanied by decreased level of S-adenosylmethionine, or increased level of S-adenosylhomocysterine, or reduced methylation index comprising: identifying any individual or a patient that is suspected of having said disease or is at risk of having said disease; obtaining a biological sample from said patient; determining the level of SAM in said biological sample using an antibody derived from a hapten analog of SAM, SAH; and correlating the levels of SAM, SAH and MI in said biological sample with the presence, absence, or severity of said disease. The invention also provides methods for determining methylation index in biological fluids which is indicative of the health status of an individual. Additionally, the invention includes colloidal gold test strips and homogenous enzyme immunoassays which are useful for determining S-adenosylmethionine and S-adenosylhomocysteine.

Disclosed are methods and agents for predicting responses to therapy. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to methods and agents for detecting different forms of Programmed Death Ligand-1 (PD-L1) in cancer cells, which are useful for detecting location of PD-L1 in a cellular compartment (e.g., nucleus, cytoplasm, cell membrane) of a cancer cell, for predicting the likelihood of response of a cancer cell to therapy including immunotherapy, for stratifying a cancer patient as a likely responder or non-responder to a therapy, for managing treatment of a cancer patient, and for predicting clinical outcomes.

In sporadic Alzheimer's disease, neurofibrillary lesion formation is preceded by extensive post-translational modification of the microtubule associated protein tau. Immunoassays have been developed recently that detect tau in biological specimens, thus providing a means for pre-mortem diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, which has remained elusive. These assays have been improved by the analysis of relevant post-translational modifications, such as phosphorylation, however opportunity for improvement remains. The present invention addresses this issue by disclosing synthetic methylated peptides derived from the tau protein of paired helical filaments and non-diseased control brain. Alzheimer's disease specificity is provided by the presence or absence of methyl moieties on lysine residues and differences between mono-, di-, and tri-methylation. The methylated peptide is useful as an antigen and a binding partner for identifying compounds that interact with the peptide and the methylated tau protein, including antibodies that can distinguish non-diseased brain from that affected by Alzheimer's disease. The resulting antibodies are useful diagnostically and therapeutically. The compounds that specifically bind to methylated tau proteins are useful for eliminating abnormally methylated tau.

In sporadic Alzheimer's disease, neurofibrillary lesion formation is preceded by extensive post-translational modification of the microtubule associated protein tau. Immunoassays have been developed recently that detect tau in biological specimens, thus providing a means for pre-mortem diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, which has remained elusive. These assays have been improved by the analysis of relevant post-translational modifications, such as phosphorylation, however opportunity for improvement remains. The present invention addresses this issue by disclosing synthetic methylated peptides derived from the tau protein of paired helical filaments and non-diseased control brain. Alzheimer's disease specificity is provided by the presence or absence of methyl moieties on lysine residues and differences between mono-, di-, and tri-methylation. The methylated peptide is useful as an antigen and a binding partner for identifying compounds that interact with the peptide and the methylated tau protein, including antibodies that can distinguish non-diseased brain from that affected by Alzheimer's disease. The resulting antibodies are useful diagnostically and therapeutically. The compounds that specifically bind to methylated tau proteins are useful for eliminating abnormally methylated tau.