Specific binding members, particularly antibodies and fragments thereof, which bind to transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) are provided, particularly recognizing human and mouse TGF-β1 and not recognizing or binding TGF-β2 or TGF-β3. Particular antibodies are provided which specifically recognize and neutralize TGF-β1. These antibodies are useful in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions associated with activated or elevated TGF-β1, including cancer, and for modulating immune cells and immune response, including immune response to cancer or cancer antigens. The anti-TGF-β1 antibodies, variable regions or CDR domain sequences thereof, and fragments thereof may also be used in therapy in combination with chemotherapeutics, immune modulators, or anti-cancer agents and/or with other antibodies or fragments thereof. Antibodies of this type are exemplified by the novel antibodies hereof, including antibody 13A1, whose sequences are provided herein.

Broodmare imminence of ovulation and reproductive competence may be determined by collecting blood, serum or plasma samples from a mare over two or more days in such mare's estrous cycle; obtaining a set of concentration measurements of one or more peptide hormones of the TGF-β superfamily in such samples over such two or more days; detecting an onset of a change in the relative magnitude or slope of successive concentration measurements of such one or more peptide hormones during such cycle; and coordinating live cover or artificial insemination of such mare to occur no later than three days after such onset. The disclosed method may be performed using an associated system that measures, processes and stores the measurements. The system may detect and optionally provide notification of the onset of such change.

The present invention relates to a method of identifying a subject being susceptible to a cardiac intervention based on the determination of GDF-15 in a sample of a subject in need of a cardiac intervention. Moreover, the present invention pertains to a method for predicting the risk of mortality or a further acute cardiovascular event for a subject suffering from a cardiovascular complication based on the determination of GDF-15 and a natriuretic peptide and/or a cardiac troponin in a sample the said subject. Also encompassed by the present invention are devices and kits for carrying out the aforementioned methods.

The present invention is directed to a method of identifying a patient having heart failure as likely to respond to a therapy comprising a statin. The method is based on measuring the level of at least one marker selected from GDF-15 (Growth Differentiation Factor 15), Urea, SHBG (Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin), Uric acid, PLGF (Placental Growth Factor), IL-6 (Interleukin-6), Transferrin, a cardiac Troponin, sFlt-1 (Soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1), Prealbumin, Ferritin, Osteopontin, sST2 (soluble ST2), and hsCRP (high sensitivity C-reactive protein) in a sample from a patient. Further envisaged is a method of predicting the risk of a patient to suffer from death or hospitalization, wherein said patient has heart failure and undergoes a therapy comprising a statin. The method is also based on the measurement of the level of at least one of the aforementioned markers.

The present invention discloses an application of the exosome TβRII protein as a marker in preparing a breast cancer diagnostic kit, and belongs to the technology field of breast cancer detection kits. The present invention finds that the content of TβRII positive exosomes in the serum of breast cancer patients is significantly higher than these of healthy people, and after the surgery, the content of TβRII exosomes in the serum of breast cancer patients reduces significantly, which suggests the value of the TβRII positive exosomes during the diagnosis and prognosis of breast cancer. The present invention provides a breast cancer diagnosis kit based on detecting exosome TβRII protein in peripheral blood, which is simple in operation, and only needs to extract a small amount of peripheral blood of the test population, thereby detecting whether the test population has breast cancer and evaluating the tumor of the patient. The degree of malignancy and the state of metastasis.

The present disclosure provides methods for detecting septic arthritis, transient synovitis, or osteomyelitis, based on protein signatures. Specifically, the method comprising: (i) measuring expression levels of one or more proteins in a biological sample obtained from the subject; (ii) determining a protein signature correlated with a detected disease based on the expression levels of the proteins in step (i); and (iii) assessing the occurrence or severity of the subject correlated with the disease based on the protein signature determined in step (ii). The methods may further comprise identifying suitable treatment for the patient based on the protein signatures.

The present invention relates to an in vitro method for predicting the proangiogenic activity of preparations of extracellular vesicles (EVs), preferably blood-derived EVs, wherein the method is based on the combined determination of the content of transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) and microRNA-130a. Also disclosed is a method of manufacturing a preparation of extracellular vesicles (EVs) predicted to have strong proangiogenic activity and the EVs preparations thereof, which are effective for the therapeutic treatment of ischemic diseases, ischemic injuries and pathological conditions associated with risk of cardiovascular disease, or for use in wound healing.

The present disclosure relates to the field of laboratory diagnostics. Specifically, means and methods are disclosed for determining a patient's risk of suffering from acute kidney injury after a surgical procedure based on the detection of GDF-15, troponin T and/or a natriuretic peptide.

GFRAL extracellular domains comprising domains D2 and D3 are disclosed. The disclosure further relates to methods and compositions for screening and evaluating the activity of a GFRAL ligand, such as a GDF15 peptide, using the GFRAL extracellular domains provided herein. Also disclosed are methods and compositions for treating obesity, reducing appetite, and/or reducing body weight using the GFRAL extracellular domains provided herein.

Provided is a new use of a TGF-β small molecule inhibitor in the field of neuroregeneration, which can be used for the in vitro regeneration and directed differentiation of various nerve cells and brain-like organs. By adding same to a set of basal media having clear chemical compositions. pluripotent stem cells can be induced into adult cells derived from a variety of neural stem cells, and the number of induced nerve cells and the size of organoids can be greatly increased. The induction system provided in the present invention expands new functions of a single small molecule in the field of ectodermal cell induction and differentiation and at the same time avoids the use of B27 and other serum substitutes, thereby completely avoiding the potential risks caused by the presence of animal-derived components in cell culture processes, and greatly expanding the clinical prospects of a variety of nerve cell transplantations.