This invention concerns compositions and methods of treating or diagnosing inflammatory disorders and other disorders, as well as compositions and methods of treating HIV.

The present invention relates to a cell and an antibody for determining the activity of botulinum toxin, and a method of determining the activity of botulinum toxin using the same.

The present invention pertains to a polyclonal or monoclonal antibody specifically binding to BoNT/E-cleaved SNAP-25. Further, the invention provides a method for directly determining the biological activity of BoNT/E in cells, comprising the steps of: a) incubating cells susceptible to BoNT/E intoxication with BoNT/E for a time and under conditions which allow for the BoNT/E to exert its biological activity; b) fixing the cells and, optionally, permeabilizing the cells with a detergent; c) contacting the cells with at least a first capture antibody specifically binding to non-cleaved and BoNT/E-cleaved SNAP-25, and with at least a second capture antibody specifically binding to BoNT/E-cleaved SNAP-25, wherein the second capture antibody is an antibody of the invention, under conditions which allow for binding of said capture antibodies to the indicated substrates; d) contacting the cells with at least a first detection antibody specifically binding to the first capture antibody, under conditions which allow for binding of said first detection antibody to said first capture antibody, thus forming first detection complexes, and with at least a second detection antibody specifically binding to the second capture antibody, under conditions which allow for binding of said second detection antibody to said second capture antibody, thus forming second detection complexes, and wherein the first detection antibody is different from the second detection antibody; e) determining the amount of the first and second detection complexes of step d); and f) calculating the amount of SNAP-25 cleaved by BoNT/E in said cells by means of the second detection complexes, thereby determining the biological activity of BoNT/E in said cells. Furthermore, the invention relates to a kit for carrying out the method of the invention.

The invention relates to a competitive immunoassay test system as well as a method to simply and rapidly detect pyrogens contained in a sample by means of the pyrogen binding domain of pattern recognition receptors. The test system comprises an assay carrier having at least one immobilized pyrogen binding domain of a pattern recognition receptor with a labeled, displaceable ligand, wherein the displacement of the ligand is indicated by a pyrogen contained in the sample by a color reaction of the labeling. The assay carrier preferably also has at least one immobilized ligand capture protein, which binds the displaced ligand and thereby initiates a color reaction of the labeling.

This invention concerns compositions and methods of treating or diagnosing inflammatory disorders and other disorders, as well as compositions and methods of treating HIV.

Diagnostic screening tests that can be used to identify if a patient is a good candidates for an implantable vagus nerve stimulation device. One or more analyte, such as a cytokine or inflammatory molecule, can be measured from a blood sample taken prior to implantation of a vagus nerve stimulator to determine the patient's responsiveness to VNS for treatment of an inflammatory disorder.

The present disclosure relates to acetaminophen protein adducts and methods of diagnosing acetaminophen toxicity using the acetaminophen protein adducts.

The present disclosure relates to acetaminophen protein adducts and methods of diagnosing acetaminophen toxicity using the acetaminophen protein adducts.

The present disclosure relates to acetaminophen protein adducts and methods of diagnosing acetaminophen toxicity using the acetaminophen protein adducts. The present disclosure provides acetaminophen (APAP)-protein adducts and methods of detecting acetaminophen-induced toxicity in a subject using APAP-protein adducts. One aspect of the present disclosure provides an APAP-protein adduct for diagnosing acetaminophen-induced toxicity. According to the present disclosure, the inventors have identified proteins that are modified by N-acetyl-pbenzoquinoneimine (NAPQI) in subjects with acetaminophen-induced toxicity. Non-limiting examples of proteins modified by NAPQI include betaine-homocysteine S-methyltransferase 1, cytoplasmic aspartate aminotransferase, 1,4-alpha-glucan branching enzyme, formimidoyltransferase-cyclodeaminase, and dystrophin.

Provided herein is a cell-free assay device, sometimes comprising a lipid bilayer and an endopeptidase assay component, for characterizing a pore forming protein. In some embodiments provided herein is an apparatus comprising a pressure system for characterizing an interaction. Also, provided herein are methods for using a cell-free assay device to characterize a pore forming protein and/or a test substance.