The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for treating or preventing a disease related to abnormal suppression of regulatory T cell activity comprising a polypeptide comprising a bee venom-PLA2 amino acid sequence exclusive of a leader sequence as an active ingredient. The secretory bee venom-phospholipase A2 of the present invention activates a regulatory T cell and suppress a differentiation of Th1/Th7. Therefore, the present polypeptide can be used as a pharmaceutical composition for treating or preventing a disease related to abnormal suppression of regulatory T cell activity, i.e. autoimmune diseases, allergic diseases, or neurodegenerative diseases.

A method of treating a mother having postpartum depression, comprising administering to the mother a composition comprising a plurality of mixed self-assemblies comprising: i) at least 50 wt % of a soyasaponin, and ii) allopregnanolone.

A highly stable acidifed formula of Crotoxin comprising saline and benzalkonium chloride, and optionally Thiamine, is disclosed that facilitates the therapeutic use of Crotoxin. Also disclosed is a method of preparing a highly stable formula of Crotoxin.

This application provides a novel mouse model (PLA2g6 KO.sup.Ex2) in which genetic deletion of the N terminus of PLA2g6 results in a loss of dopaminergic (DA) neurons in substantia nigra (SN), and development of PD-like motor deficits that can be significantly improved by L-DOPA. Based in part on experimental results demonstrated with this model, this disclosure provides genetically modified animals and genetically modified animal cells that comprise a mutant allele of PLA2g6 and in which store-operated Ca.sup.2+ entry (SOCE) is impaired and ER Ca.sup.2+ stores are depleted. This disclosure also provides methods of screening a compound for an effect on the SOCE pathway and/or ER Ca.sup.2+ by administering the compound to such a genetically modified animal or genetically modified animal cell. This disclosure also provides methods of treating or preventing PD-related deficit(s) in an animal by characterizing a compound as a SOCE activator using the screening methods and then administering an effective amount of the compound to an animal. This disclosure also provides methods of restoring normal store-operated Ca.sup.2+ entry (SOCE) pathway and ER Ca.sup.2+ in a cell, comprising introducing a caspase-3 cleavage-resistant PLA2g6 protein into the cell. This disclosure also provides methods of treating or preventing a PD-related deficit(s) in an animal, comprising administering a caspase-3 cleavage-resistant PLA2g6 protein to the animal.

Provided is a monoclonal antibody or a fragment thereof that selectively inhibits the enzymatic activity of vascular endothelial lipase and pharmaceutical compositions containing the same as an active ingredient useful for the treatment of arteriosclerosis or metabolic syndrome.

Described herein are peptides from secretory phospholipase A.sub.2-IB and antibodies that can be used to reduce the contribution of the gastrointestinal tract to inflammatory processes including systemic inflammatory responses. Specifically, antibodies that bind specifically a peptide from secretory phospholipase A.sub.2-IB prevent death in a mouse model of LPS-induced endotoxemia. The antibodies described herein are particularly useful to treat systemic inflammatory response syndromes, including sepsis.

Provided is a monoclonal antibody or a fragment thereof that selectively inhibits the enzymatic activity of vascular endothelial lipase and pharmaceutical compositions containing the same as an active ingredient useful for the treatment of arteriosclerosis or metabolic syndrome.

The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for treating or preventing a disease related to abnormal suppression of regulatory T cell activity comprising a polypeptide comprising a bee venom-PLA2 amino acid sequence exclusive of a leader sequence as an active ingredient. The secretory bee venom-phospholipase A2 of the present invention activates a regulatory T cell and suppress a differentiation of Th1/Th7. Therefore, the present polypeptide can be used as a pharmaceutical composition for treating or preventing a disease related to abnormal suppression of regulatory T cell activity, i.e. autoimmune diseases, allergic diseases, or neurodegenerative diseases.

The present invention relates to a mutant microbial host cell which is deficient in the production of the AgsE protein or in the production of an homologous thereof if compared with a parent microbial host cell which has not been modified and measured under the same conditions. It has been surprisingly found that when the mutant microbial host cell according to the invention is used in a method to produce a compound of interest, for example an enzyme, an improved yield of said compound is obtained if compared to a method in which a parent host cell which has not been modified is used when measured under the same conditions.

The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for treating or preventing a disease related to abnormal suppression of regulatory T cell activity comprising a polypeptide comprising a bee venom-PLA2 amino acid sequence exclusive of a leader sequence as an active ingredient. The secretory bee venom-phospholipase A2 of the present invention activates a regulatory T cell and suppress a differentiation of Th1/Th7. Therefore, the present polypeptide can be used as a pharmaceutical composition for treating or preventing a disease related to abnormal suppression of regulatory T cell activity, i.e. autoimmune diseases, allergic diseases, or neurodegenerative diseases.