Biomarkers tests which can be used to predict a positive or negative risk of preeclampsia are described. More specifically, a panel of biomarkers including MMP-7 and gpIIbIIIa, described. The test is useful to predict preeclampsia when a biological sample is obtained between the 16.sup.th and 22.sup.nd week of pregnancy. Prediction later in pregnancy can be achieved by a combination of Siglec-6, Activin A, ALCAM, and/or FCN2.

The present invention relates to a novel MMP-8 activation product such as a MMP-8 middle-part activation product. The invention also relates to detecting such a MMP-8 activation product or activated MMP-8 fragments in a biological sample derived from a subject and to the use thereof for diagnosing diseases which relate to abnormal or elevated levels of activated MMP-8.

Methods and kits for diagnosing the presence of and prognosing the appearance of tissue remodelling-associated conditions, involving the presence of enzyme complexes in a biological sample, are disclosed. In particular, the method pertains to diagnosing the presence of or prognosing appearance of metastatic cancer by the identification of high molecular weight enzyme complexes comprising MMPs.

The present disclosure relates to the biological markers SAP, SHBG, Myoglobin, MMP-9, and SCF that are predictive for patient response to treatment with a vascular disrupting agent. In particular, the present disclosure relates to biological markers predictive for cancer patient response to treatment with a vascular disrupting agent, as well as methods of treating a cancer patient with a vascular disrupting agent.

The present invention is directed to fluorescent molecular sensor based on Thiazole Orange for protein detection. Interaction of the protein target with the molecular sensors of this invention results in a significant increase in the fluorescence emission. The generation of light output signal enables one to detect protein biomarkers associated with different diseases or detecting the protein of interest also in living cells.

A dual-functioning electrochemical sensing device has invented for fast, direct ultrasensitive detection of protein, such as attomolar concentration (aM) Matrix Metalloproteinase (MMP) without a procedure of cycteine switch under label-free, probe-free and reagent-free conditions. The invented device comprises of an organic memcapacitive/memristive membrane by self-assembling forming polarized 3D array crossing-nanotube structures on a gold substrate that enables the membrane selectively induction of bio-communication with MMP-2 in the absence of interference from other proteins in human serum specimens, herein aM concentration MMP-2 can be reliably detected by two different methods.

This invention includes methods for assessing and treating risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in a subject with an inflammatory disease, for example rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Provided are methods for assessing risk, for recommending therapy, for prognosis and monitoring, and for treatment, which are advantageously accurate for CVD in RA. The methods include measuring quantitative data for biomarkers, calculating a CVD risk score for a subject using training data, and validating the CVD risk score with a set of validation clinical data.

An engineered cyclic peptide provides structural constraints to resist non-specific degradation in the human body and includes environment-specific cleavage sites to allow release of a linearized peptide upon reaching a target environment. The linearized peptide can include a reporter molecule or a bioactive therapeutic such that the cyclic peptide is essentially inactive at administration and in circulation but becomes reactive only upon exposure to target-specific environmental factors such as a specific combination of differentially-expressed proteases associated with a target tissue or disease state. The peptides can include tuning that modulate distribution by targeting the particle to specific tissue, bodily fluids, or cell types.

An engineered cyclic peptide provides structural constraints to resist non-specific degradation in the human body and includes environment-specific cleavage sites to allow release of a linearized peptide upon reaching a target environment. The linearized peptide can include a reporter molecule or a bioactive therapeutic such that the cyclic peptide is essentially inactive at administration and in circulation but becomes reactive only upon exposure to target-specific environmental factors such as a specific combination of differentially-expressed proteases associated with a target tissue or disease state. The peptides can include tuning that modulate distribution by targeting the particle to specific tissue, bodily fluids, or cell types.

A nanoparticle activity sensor containing a reporter and at least one tuning domain that modifies a distribution or residence time of the activity sensor when administered to a patient. When administered to the patient, the activity sensor enters cells or tissue where it is cleaved by enzymes specific to a physiological state such as a disease to release a detectable analyte. The tuning domains include molecular structures that modulate distribution or decay by protecting the particle from premature cleavage and indiscriminate hydrolysis, shielding the particle from immune detection and clearance, or by targeting the particle to specific tissue, bodily fluids, or cell types.