This invention pertains to methods and compositions for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular conditions. More specifically, the invention relates to isolated molecules that can be used to diagnose and/or treat cardiovascular conditions including cardiac hypertrophy, myocardial infarction, stroke, arteriosclerosis, and heart failure.

The present invention provides an aptamer that binds to IL-17 to inhibit binding of IL-17 and IL-17 receptor; a complex containing the aptamer and a functional substance (e.g., affinity substance, labeling substance, enzyme, drug delivery medium, drug and the like); a medicament containing the aptamer, or a complex containing the aptamer and a functional substance, a diagnosing drug and labeling agent and the like.

Provided are a composition for diagnosing vascular disease including an agent measuring a level of interleukin 12 receptor β2 protein in the blood, and a kit for diagnosing vascular disease including the same. Further, provided is a method for diagnosing vascular disease, the method including the step of measuring a level of interleukin 12 receptor β2 protein in a blood sample separated from an individual suspected of having vascular disease. Furthermore, provided are a composition for preventing or treating vascular disease including an interleukin 12 receptor β2 activity inhibitor, and a method of screening a therapeutic agent for vascular disease, the method including the step of treating smooth muscle cells with a test agent for vascular disease treatment and measuring an expression level of interleukin 12 receptor β2.

Methods for identifying and isolating CD8 T cells that produce interleukin-13 upon activation are provided. The present methods leverage one or more newly-identified biomarkers to identify such CD8 T cells and, in certain cases, sort the same. Certain methods comprise obtaining a sample from a mammal, quantifying a level of expression of one or more biomarkers therein, and determining if the level of expression is elevated as compared, wherein an elevated expression level is indicative of an active disease state. Antisera and antibodies are also provided. In particular, an anti-C10orf128 antiserum formulated against a particular peptide is provided, such anti-C10orf128 antiserum characterized in that it identifies a subset of CD8 T cells that produce interleukin-13 upon activation.

An in vitro or ex vivo method, based on the measurement of the expression of cytokine(s), from a patient's blood sample, incubated with a stimulus, for determining the risk of occurrence of a healthcare-associated infection in the patient, within seven days following the day on which the collection of the biological sample has been performed from the patient.

Provided herein are methods for the treatment of viral infections and inflammation secondary to viral infections (e.g., coronavirus infections (e.g., severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), etc.) and diseases (e.g., Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)) associated therewith by the administration of low doses of tocilizumab to a subject. In particular embodiments, provided herein are pharmaceutical compositions comprising doses of 200 mg or less of tocilizumab and methods for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infections, COVID-19, inflammation secondary to such infections, and symptoms or other conditions arising as a result thereof.

The invention provides methods, kits and reagents for diagnosing fibromyalgia (FM) in an individual by determining whether the levels of one or more cytokines in the individual are altered, as compared to control levels. The altered level(s) or patterns of expression of the cytokines measured in the affected individual compared to the level from the control is predictive/indicative of FM in the individual.

Fully human monoclonal Abs includes (i) an antigen-binding variable region that exhibits very high binding affinity for IL-1α and (ii) a constant region that is effective at both activating the complement system though C1q binding and binding to several different Fc receptors.

Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) represent innate versions of T helper and cytotoxic T cells that differentiate from committed ILC precursors (ILCP). Still, how ILCP relate to mature tissue-resident ILCs remains unclear. ILCP that are present in the blood and all tested lymphoid and non-lymphoid human tissues were identified. Human ILCP fail to express the signature transcription factors (TF) and cytokine outputs of mature NK cells and ILCs but are epigenetically poised to do so. Human ILCP robustly generate all ILC subsets in vitro and in vivo. While human ILCP express RAR related orphan receptor C (RORC), circulating ILCP can be found in RORC-deficient patients that retain potential for EOMES.sup.+ NK cells, T-BET.sup.+ ILC1, GATA-3.sup.+ ILC2 and for IL-22.sup.+ but not for IL-17A.sup.+ ILC3. A model of tissue ILC differentiation (‘ILC-poiesis’) is proposed whereby diverse ILC subsets are generated in situ from ILCP in response to environmental stressors, inflammation and infection.

The present inventors successfully obtained anti-NR10 antibodies having an effective neutralizing activity against NR10. The anti-NR10 antibodies provided by the present invention are useful as, for example, pharmaceuticals for treating or preventing inflammatory diseases.