The present inventors identified a subpopulation of genes induced by type I and type II IFNs in a human submandibular gland (HSG) epithelial cell line. Unexpectedly, it was found that the majority of genes that are highly up-regulated by IFN- are also highly induced by IFN-. In contrast, there was a substantial group of genes that are highly induced by IFN- only. In target tissues, this identified subpopulation of genes and probes allow different IFN patterns to be discerned, enabling more precise molecular classification of patient subpopulations. The identified gene probes are useful for selecting and monitoring therapy, and for defining efficacy of novel agents in the autoimmune rheumatic diseases.

The present disclosure relates to the identification and use of biomarkers (e.g., analytes, analyte profiles, or markers (e.g., gene expression and/or protein expression profiles)) with clinical relevance to cytokine release syndrome (CRS).

A novel IFN-/ independent ligand receptor system which upon engagement leads, among other things, to the establishment of an anti-viral state is disclosed. Further disclosed are three closely positioned genes on human chromosome 19 that encode distinct but highly homologous proteins, designated IFN-1, IFN-2, IFN-3, based inter alia, in their ability to induce antiviral protection. Expression of these proteins is induced upon viral infection. A receptor complex utilized by all three IFN- proteins for signaling is also disclosed. The receptor complex is generally composed of two subunits, a novel receptor designated IFN-R1 or CRF2-12, and a second subunit, IL-10R2 or CRF2-4, which is also a shared receptor component for the IL-10 and IL-22 receptor complexes. The gene encoding IFN-R1 is generally widely expressed, including many different cell types and tissues. Expression of these proteins is induced by immune events, including, for example, upon viral infection. Apoptotosis may also be induced under effective conditions.

Methods, kits and compounds are provided that relate to the diagnosis, treatment, and/or prevention of preeclampsia.

The present invention refers to the use of gene sequences or portions thereof characterized in that the same belong to the classes of in vitro and ex vivo induced, repressed or conserved genes in Mycobacterium tuberculosis currently infected human macrophages and to corresponding peptides or consensus peptides or proteins for the preparation of specific bio-markers for the diagnosis and prevention of active or latent disease.

The present invention provides a method and a kit for predicting the response to an immunomodulatory treatment in patients that present an inflammatory disease such as multiple sclerosis, which are based on the quantification of the plasma levels ratio of cytokines IL-17F, IFN- and IL-10 in a biological sample from the patient taken before initiating the treatment.

The present invention relates to methods for the identification of clinical risk in patients having, or suspected of having, influenza. The invention also relates to methods for distinguishing between patients having influenza or viral pneumonia from patients having a symptomatically similar condition. The methods of the invention comprise determination of the level of expression of interferon alpha inducible protein 27 (IF127) in a biological sample from a patient having, or suspected of having, influenza. Kits comprising suitable components for the performance of the methods are also provided by the invention. The invention allows stratification of patients into groups defining clinical risk, for example groups based on the severity of risk to the long-term health of the subject.

The present invention provides compositions and methods for detection schemes for ascertaining pregnancy status of an animal. The compositions and methods employ interferon-tau (IFNT) and/or antibodies specific for IFNT. Methods of the present invention detect the presence of IFNT in samples obtained from animals as an early indicator of pregnancy. Methods are provided to identify non-pregnant animals so that management decisions regarding rebreeding can be made earlier compared to existing approaches.

The present invention concerns methods and compositions for forming complexes of interferon- with an antibody or antigen-binding antibody fragment. In preferred embodiments, the interferon- and the antibody or fragment are fusion proteins, each comprising a dimerization and docking domain (DDD) moiety from human protein kinase A or an anchor domain (AD) moiety from an A-kinase anchoring protein (AKAP). In more preferred embodiments, the interferon-antibody complex is more efficacious for treatment of cancer, asthma, Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis or viral infection than interferon- alone, antibody alone, or the combination of unconjugated interferon- and antibody.

The current invention provides methods to identify ?9?2T-cell receptors (?9?2TCR) that mediate anti-tumour responses. Surprisingly, it was now found that the CDR3 regions of the ?9-T-cell receptor chain and the ?2-T-Cell receptor chain (?2TCR chain) are of importance. Based on these findings, combinatorial-??TCR-chain-exchange (CTE) is proposed as an efficient method for identifying ?9?2TCRs that mediate anti-tumour responses. Using the method of the invention, specific sequences of the respective ?9TCR and ?2TCR chains were identified that mediate anti-tumour responses. Hence, the invention further provides for specific ?9?2TCRs, or fragments thereof, that may be used e.g. in diagnostics or treatment of cancer. The invention further provides for nucleic acid sequences, genetic constructs and retroviral vectors that can be used to express the ?9?2TCRs according to the invention.