Means that enables monitoring of an anticancer effect of an anti-CD4 antibody or an anticancer drug targeting an immune checkpoint is disclosed. The method for testing a therapeutic effect of a cancer therapy of the present invention is a method for testing a therapeutic effect of an anticancer drug comprising as an effective ingredient an anti-CD4 antibody or an anticancer drug targeting an immune checkpoint, which method comprises investigation of expression of (1) at least one immune checkpoint receptor, (2) CD8, and (3) at least one cell surface molecule selected from the group consisting of CD44 and CD45RO, on T cells using a sample derived from a patient who received the anticancer drug. Induction of a T cell population which is positive for the immune checkpoint molecule (1) and positive for CD8, and which shows high expression of CD44 and/or high expression of CD45RO, indicates that said anticancer drug is producing a therapeutic effect in said patient.

Disclosed are methods for conducting diagnostic tests for the detection of the inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Also described are methods for monitoring a patient by administering tests of the present invention. Also described are methods for monitoring patient's treatment by administering tests of the present invention. Also described are methods for evaluating the effectiveness of a drug or a drug candidate by administering tests of the present invention to samples from patients, animal models, and cell cultures treated with a drug or a drug candidate. Also disclosed are methods for determining the usefulness of analytes, e.g. cytokines, for acting as diagnostic and monitoring markers for inflammatory bowel disease in the various methods of the invention.

Provided are methods and systems for determining functional relationships between ex vivo skin models and an inflammatory skin condition. Also provided are methods and systems for identifying modulators of inflammation of skin, as well as the use of modulators identified by such methods or systems for the preparation of cosmetic compositions, personal care products, or both.

The present disclosure is directed to methods of screening a compound for modulating activity at a TNF-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK) binding site on a cysteine-rich domain (CRD) of fibroblast growth factor-inducible 14 (Fn14). The present disclosure also provides heterocyclic compounds and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof and methods for the prevention, treatment, and amelioration of cell proliferative disorders with these compounds.

Described herein are methods and kits for performing plasmon-enhanced fluoro-dot assays. These assays enable observing a correlation between a chemical stimulus and a biological response of cultured cells in vitro.

This disclosure relates to methods of diagnosing and predicting renal disease, using one, two, or more biomarkers, including sTNFR1, sTNFR2, sFAS, TNF, and IL-6.

Methods of treating IBD in a subject using an anti-SMAD7 therapy, such as a SMAD7 antisense oligonucleotide, to reduce CCL20, IL8, or TNFα levels are disclosed. Methods of treating and managing IBD in a subject using an anti-SMAD7 therapy, such as a SMAD7 antisense oligonucleotide, based on CCL20, IL8, or TNFα levels are also disclosed. Also disclosed are methods of determining whether a subject with IBD is responsive or likely to be responsive to treatment an anti-SMAD7 therapy. Reduction of CCL20, IL8, or TNFα levels may correlated with IBD remission or decreases in CDAI score.

The present invention provides a method for enhancing immune cell function by activating various immune cells ex vivo and provides immune cells with enhanced function. The invention further provides an immune-related cell multifunctionality evaluation method. A biguanide antidiabetic drug selected from metformin, phenformin, and buformin is capable of enhancing immune cell multifunctionality by increasing CD8+T cells having a high ability to produce IL-2, INFα, and IFNγ. The immune-related cell multifunctionality may be evaluated by comparing immune cells treated with a biguanide antidiabetic drug selected from metformin, phenformin, and buformin, with control immune cells untreated with the biguanide antidiabetic drug. When the multifunctionality of immune cells treated with the biguanide antidiabetic drug selected from metformin, phenformin, and buformin is determined to be significantly increased compared with the control, it can be evaluated that the sensitivity of the immune cells to the therapeutic agent is improved.

The invention relates to helminthic parasite preparations and their use for treatment or prevention of GVHD in a subject that has undergone a transplant. The invention also related to helminthic parasite preparations and their use for prevention of GVHD in a subject prior to a transplant.

Engineered multivalent and multispecific binding proteins, methods of making, and their uses in the prevention, diagnosis, and/or treatment of disease are provided.