The present invention resides in the discovery that the specific interaction between Myeloid Differentiation factor 2 (MD2) and integrin, especially integrin ?v?3, is involved in cellular signaling mediated by MD2-integrin, such as inflammatory response including sepsis. Thus, this invention provides for a novel method for inhibiting integrin signaling by using an inhibitor of MD2-integrin binding, such as a dominant negative mutant of MD2 without integrin-binding capability. A method for identifying inhibitors of MD2-integrin binding is also described. Further disclosed are polypeptides, nucleic acids, host cells, and corresponding compositions for inhibiting MD2-integrin signaling.

The present invention is directed to methods of treating proteinuric diseases by the administration of av3 integrin inhibitors.

A method for diagnosis of HIT (Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia) in a patient's serum or plasma sample and a system comprising kits for performing the method are provided, where the method involves incubating a patient's sample with and without heparin and normal control sample with and without heparin with a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) of an individual not having a platelet disorder and then incubating an aliquot of each sample with a first label for both heparin activated and non-heparin activated platelets and a second label for platelets activated by the heparin-immune complex formed in the patient sample. HIT is diagnosed when the difference between the amount of activated platelets from the patient's sample with and without heparin is substantially larger than the difference between the normal control sample with and without heparin.

Compositions and methods are provided for preparing and quantifying multipotential stromal cells derived from bone marrow aspirate for use in regenerative therapy and other medical treatments. A rapid, simple assay can be performed intra-operatively to quantify multipotential stromal cells in a sample for determining a dosage of multipotential stromal cells to be administered in regenerative therapeutic compositions.

Methods for diagnosing suPAR-3 integrin driven kidney diseases that can include detection of one, two or more variables, e.g., biomarkers (plasma suPAR levels, urine IL6 levels) and/or bioassays (3 integrin activation and presence of distinct suPAR fragments/isoforms in plasma).

This invention provides, among other things, methods for the identification and isolation of viable putative long-lived antigen-specific memory CD8.sup.+ T cell subsets (CMhi and EMhi) with high surface expression of CD161 and/or IL-18R? and the capacity to rapidly efflux the fluorescent dye Rh123.

The present invention is directed to a method for identifying an individual who is at risk for developing metastatic liver disease that involves measuring, in a sample isolated from the individual, exosomal levels of one or more markers of metastatic liver disease. Kits for carrying out this method are also disclosed. The present invention also relates to a method of preventing metastatic liver disease in an individual who are at risk for developing the disease that involves administering one or more inhibitors of liver pre-metastatic niche formation.

Provided are compositions, including kits, and methods comprising use of a biomarker .sub.3 integrin, including the .sub.v.sub.3 integrin, for detecting circulating tumor cells (CTCs), tumor stem cells, extracellular vesicles (EV), including exosomes and microvesicles, that are released by CTCs or cancer cells, as well as the tumor from which the CTCs or EVs derive, and to make a patient prognosis, and to assess tumor progression, and drug resistance (for example, resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors), e.g., for several cancers including: breast, colon, lung and pancreatic cancers. In alternative embodiments, a patient fluid sample, e.g., a blood, serum, urine, CSF or other sample, is taken and used to detect cancer stem cells, EVs- and/or CTCs-comprising .sub.3 integrin and/or a .sub.v.sub.3 integrin. Provided are compositions, including kits, and methods and uses of the biomarker .sub.3 integrin for anti-cancer drug design. In alternative embodiments, applications of compositions, including kits, and methods and uses as provided herein include conjugation of an imaging or therapeutic agent to an antibody targeting integrin .sub.3 for detection and/or targeted destruction of integrin .sub.3 expressing cancer stem cells and/or CTCs.

A method for diagnosis of HIT (Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia) in a patient's serum or plasma sample and a system comprising kits for performing the method are provided, where the method involves incubating a patient's sample with and without heparin and normal control sample with and without heparin with a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) of an individual not having a platelet disorder and then incubating an aliquot of each sample with a first label for both heparin activated and non-heparin activated platelets and a second label for platelets activated by the heparin-immune complex formed in the patient sample. HIT is diagnosed when the difference between the amount of activated platelets from the patient's sample with and without heparin is substantially larger than the difference between the normal control sample with and without heparin.

The present invention provides novel methods for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases and inflammatory diseases by modulating the Hippo-YAP signaling pathway. Also provided are methods for identifying compounds that are capable of modulating the Hippo-YAP signaling pathway and are therefore useful for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases and inflammatory diseases.