This invention provides a method for diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis of a subject, a method for assisting diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, and a method for monitoring disease activity of rheumatoid arthritis and/or therapeutic effects of an agent for rheumatoid arthritis, comprising detecting citrullination of an arginine residue of the inter--trypsin inhibitor heavy chain (ITIH) 4 in a biological sample obtained from the subject. This invention also provides a citrullinated protein derived from the protein having the amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 or 5 by modification of arginine 438 into citrulline or a fragment thereof, an antibody binding to such citrullinated protein, and an agent for diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis comprising such antibody.

The invention relates to the use of recombinant/semi-synthetic nucleosomes carrying histone and/or DNA modifications as a reference standard for quantification of covalently modified (on the histone proteins or wrapping DNA), variant, or mutant nucleosomes (collectively modified nucleosomes or nucleosome modifications) from a biological sample. The invention further relates to methods of using the assay to accurately quantify single or combinatorial nucleosome modifications as biomarkers of disease.

This invention relates generally to methods and compositions for diagnosing and treating disorders associated with elevated levels of Toll-like Receptor 4 (TLR4) ligands and other biomarkers. The invention also relates to methods of treating, delaying the progression of, or otherwise ameliorating a symptom of a disorder associated with elevated levels of TLR4 ligands and other biomarkers using agents that interfere with or otherwise antagonize TLR4 signaling, including neutralizing anti-TLR4 antibodies.

The present invention provides citrullinated 14-3-3 peptides and antibodies thereto and methods of using same to evaluate arthritic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis.

The present invention relates to the field of biomarkers. More specifically, the present invention relates to biomarkers useful in diagnosing brain injury or neurodegeneration. In one embodiment, a method for diagnosing brain injury in a patient comprises the steps of (a) obtaining a sample from the patient; (b) determining the ratio of citrullinated to unmodified arginine residues at one or more arginine residues of one or more brain injury biomarker proteins; and (c) correlating the ratio to a patient having brain injury or to a patient not having brain injury, thereby providing the diagnosis.

The present invention provides citrullinated 14-3-3 peptides and antibodies thereto and methods of using same to evaluate arthritic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Disclosed herein are methods for diagnosing cardiovascular disease. The methods comprise detection of citrullinated proteins and/or citrullinated peptides. Also disclosed herein are methods, compositions, and kits for diagnosing and/or treating cardiovascular disease.

Provided herein are methods of detecting cancer, diagnosing a subject with cancer, treating a subject with cancer, and reducing the risk of or preventing cancer in a subject. The methods are based in part on the discovery of dysregulated protein citrullination by protein arginine deaminase enzymes in cancer. Also provided are citrullinated peptides and kits that are expressed at a higher level in cancer cells than in corresponding normal cells. Kits and systems relating to these methods are also provided.

The present invention relates to the field of biomarkers. More specifically, the present invention relates to biomarkers useful in diagnosing brain injury or neurodegeneration. In one embodiment, a method for diagnosing brain injury in a patient comprises the steps of (a) obtaining a sample from the patient; (b) determining the ratio of citrullinated to unmodified arginine residues at one or more arginine residues of one or more brain injury biomarker proteins; and (c) correlating the ratio to a patient having brain injury or to a patient not having brain injury, thereby providing the diagnosis.

Anti-tumor immune responses to modified self-epitopes. The present invention relates to the use of tumor-associated epitopes in medicine and in particular in the treatment of cancer. The epitopes stimulate an immune reaction against the tumor and have a modification selected from deimination of arginine to citrulline, nitration of tyrosine, oxidation of tryptophan and deamination of glutamine or asparagine. The invention also relates to nucleic acids comprising sequences that encode such epitopes for use in the treatment of cancer.