This invention disclosed new use of R-terbutaline and other R-enantiomer β2-agonists as immune-modulators for treatment of bronchia-lung inflammatory symptoms or inflammatory fibrosis remolding. This invention also disclosed new use of R-terbutaline and R-β2-agonists for reduced adverse effects related to racemic or S-enantiomer β2-agonists including airway hyper responsiveness and airway fibrosis.

The present invention identifies AKR1C1 as the first lipedema-associated gene. The invention provides methods for diagnosing or assessing an individual's susceptibility to lipedema by the analysis of the AKR1C1 gene or the expression levels of its product and related metabolites. Also provided are therapeutic methods for treating a patient or methods for prophylactically treating an individual susceptible to lipedema.

The present invention identifies AKR1C1 as the first lipedema-associated gene. The invention provides methods for diagnosing or assessing an individual's susceptibility to lipedema by the analysis of the AKR1C1 gene or the expression levels of its product and related metabolites. Also provided are therapeutic methods for treating a patient or methods for prophylactically treating an individual susceptible to lipedema.

The present disclosure provides a method for treating depression using a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutical agent. The pharmaceutical agent can inhibit an activity of an astroglial potassium channel, and especially inhibit the functionality of Kir4.1, in astrocytes in the lateral habenula of a subject so that the abnormal burst firings of neurons in the lateral habenula of the subject can be suppressed. The pharmaceutical agent can include a vector expressing a target nucleotide sequence in the astrocytes in the lateral habenula, whose expression is configured to suppress Kir4.1 expression by RNA interference, or to block Kir4.1 functionality by a dominant negative effect of a mutant Kir4.1 protein. The pharmaceutical agent can alternatively comprise a small molecule compound, or an active macromolecule such as an anti-Kir4.1 antibody, that can directly inhibit the astroglial potassium channel activity.

The present disclosure provides a method for treating depression using a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutical agent. The pharmaceutical agent can inhibit an activity of an astroglial potassium channel, and especially inhibit the functionality of Kir4.1, in astrocytes in the lateral habenula of a subject so that the abnormal burst firings of neurons in the lateral habenula of the subject can be suppressed. The pharmaceutical agent can include a vector expressing a target nucleotide sequence in the astrocytes in the lateral habenula, whose expression is configured to suppress Kir4.1 expression by RNA interference, or to block Kir4.1 functionality by a dominant negative effect of a mutant Kir4.1 protein. The pharmaceutical agent can alternatively comprise a small molecule compound, or an active macromolecule such as an anti-Kir4.1 antibody, that can directly inhibit the astroglial potassium channel activity.

A therapeutic compound having intrinsic anti-mitochondrial properties may be chemically modified to target the compound to mitochondria, and the resulting “repurposcins” may have enhanced anti-cancer properties, among other advantageous properties. For example, a repurposcin may be used to treat and/or prevent tumor recurrence, metastasis, drug resistance, and/or radiotherapy resistance. Described herein are repurposcin compounds and pharmaceutical compositions that have been developed according to the present approach. Also described are methods for identifying and developing repurposcins, methods of using repurposcins to target cancer stem cells, and compositions for treating cancer containing one or more repurposcins as the active ingredient.

A therapeutic compound having intrinsic anti-mitochondrial properties may be chemically modified to target the compound to mitochondria, and the resulting “repurposcins” may have enhanced anti-cancer properties, among other advantageous properties. For example, a repurposcin may be used to treat and/or prevent tumor recurrence, metastasis, drug resistance, and/or radiotherapy resistance. Described herein are repurposcin compounds and pharmaceutical compositions that have been developed according to the present approach. Also described are methods for identifying and developing repurposcins, methods of using repurposcins to target cancer stem cells, and compositions for treating cancer containing one or more repurposcins as the active ingredient.

Stratification of risk and methods of treatment based on a breast cancer's molecular profile are provided. Copy number aberrations of various genomic loci and expression levels of various genes are used to molecularly subtype patients and in some instances to determine a breast cancer's aggressiveness and risk of relapse. Breast cancers having a particular molecular subtype with an associated risk of relapse can be stratified and therapeutically targeted.

Methods and compositions related to type 2 diabetes therapy are described, where the methods and compositions relieve ER stress in pancreatic islet cells. The present disclosure provides methods and compositions for reducing hepatic steatosis, e.g., associated with Type 2 diabetes (T2D). In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a method of reducing hepatic steatosis, e.g., associated with T2D, in a subject in need thereof.

Methods and compositions related to type 2 diabetes therapy are described, where the methods and compositions relieve ER stress in pancreatic islet cells. The present disclosure provides methods and compositions for reducing hepatic steatosis, e.g., associated with Type 2 diabetes (T2D). In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a method of reducing hepatic steatosis, e.g., associated with T2D, in a subject in need thereof.