The present invention relates to a methods for high throughput screening of epitopes that are involved in T cell activation.

The present invention involves the identification of biomarkers that are predictive of impeding systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) disease flare. Methods for treating patients so identified are also provided.

Nitrous oxide and oxygen for use in treating ARDS caused by viral and bacterial infections, injuries, or other conditions that have resulted in acute, excess activation of the cytokine system in a patient in need thereof is provided. The treatment comprises administering nitrous oxide and oxygen to the patient by inhalation before, during, and/or after ARDS occurs. It is also applicable for treating, alleviating, and/or preventing an aftereffect of said conditions. A composition, duration, an interval, and a total amount of nitrous oxide and oxygen depend on each patient's individual situation and needs. Inhalation of nitrous oxide and oxygen can also stop the post ARDS symptoms that remain after an acute ARDS condition such as, but not limited to viral infections, bacterial infections, injuries, or any condition that results from any cytokine storm. Inhalation of nitrous oxide and oxygen can also treat local cytokine damages caused by said conditions.

Provided herein are antibodies, or antigen binding portions thereof, that bind to glucocorticoid-inducible TNF receptor (GITR). Also provided are uses of these proteins in therapeutic applications, such as in the treatment of cancer. Further provided are cells that produce the antibodies, polynucleotides encoding the heavy and/or light chain variable region of the antibodies, and vectors comprising the polynucleotides encoding the heavy and/or light chain variable region of the antibodies.

The invention provides novel CCL14 antibodies useful in evaluation of renal injuries. In a broad aspect, the present invention provides antibodies which bind CCL14. The provided antibodies can find use in assays to detect CCL14, such as immunoassays with improved clinical performance. In one aspect, the CCL14 antibodies are used in therapeutic methods in which CCL14 binding is desired.

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.

Methods of determining one or more ratios of chemokines in gingival crevicular fluid of an individual selected from the group consisting of: MIF:MIP1a, MIF:CXCL1; MIF:CXCL5; M1F:CXCL8; MIF:CXCL2; and MIF:CXCL6 and methods of identifying an individual as having gingivitis comprising determining one or more ratios of the chemokines in gingival crevicular fluid are disclosed. Methods of treating individuals who are identified as having gingivitis by determining one or more ratios of the chemokines in gingival crevicular fluid are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods of monitoring the treatment individuals who have gingivitis.

Methods and kits for screening, diagnosing, detecting or predicting a patient outcome/risk in a patient with a respiratory illness, the method comprising: a. obtaining a sample obtained from the patient; b. quantitatively measuring in the sample a polypeptide level of one or more biomarkers selected from: IL-6, CXCL8, IL-10, IL-IRA, IL-2, IL-4, IL-7, IL-9, IL-13, IL-17, IFN-g, IP-10, MCP-1, G-CSF, GM-CSF, FGF-basic, SCGF-β, GRO-α, MIP1-α, MIP1-β, CK-18, PDGF-bb, caspase 3, HMGB-1, TNF α, VEGF, sTNFR1 and sTREM1; and c. i) comparing the level of the one or more biomarkers in the sample with a control or cut-off level, wherein the differential level is indicative of patient outcome risk; or ii) using the polypeptide level of several of the biomarkers in combination, as inputs for an algebraic calculation or machine learning model of patient outcome risk.

Provided is a method for treating gastric cancer by blocking a CCL28 chemotactic pathway. Specifically, provided is a use of a CCL28 gene or CCL28 protein for preparing a reagent or a kit for testing gastric cancer. The gastric cancer has an abnormal up-regulated expression of both a Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and molecules related to CCL28 chemokine. Also provided are a testing kit, a use of a pharmaceutical composition, and a method for inhibiting the growth of cancer cells in vivo and in vitro.

The present invention provides a method for evaluating effectiveness of a cell therapeutic agent. When using TGF-β and/or TSP-1 expression level(s) in: (a) a first population of transformed mammalian cells with TGF-β; and (b) a second population of untransformed mammalian cells with the same gene, respectively, as a criterion for determining effectiveness of a cell therapeutic agent, and whether or not expression thereof, it is possible to definitely determine the therapeutic efficacy of each cell therapeutic agent prior to initiation of the treatment. In addition, since use of a cell therapeutic agent without therapeutic effects is avoided, undesired procedures and side effects may not be entailed.