This disclosure provides methods and devices for determining a quantitative estimate of syndecan-1 levels in a mammalian subject suspected of internal hemorrhaging. The method includes applying a blood sample from the subject to a hand-held assay device capable of providing optical quantitation of the amount of syndecan-1 in the sample, measuring, by means of said assay device, an analyte signal value correlated to a concentration of the syndecan-1 in the blood sample and comparing the analyte signal value to a minimum threshold, wherein an analyte signal value less than the minimum threshold indicates that the subject is not internally hemorrhaging, and an analyte signal value above the minimum threshold indicates the subject is internally hemorrhaging. The methods and devices are adapted to rapidly assess internal hemorrhaging and hemorrhagic shock in a patient outside of hospital settings.

The present application provides a Chondroitinase ABC (ChABC) mutants. ChABC stimulates axonal regeneration by degrading the inhibitory chondroitin sulfate (CS) and dermatan sulfate (DS) proteoglycans in the glial scar that forms after traumatic injuries to the central nervous system (CNS). However, the therapeutic utility of this potent, fragile protein is severely limited by rapid aggregation at physiological temperature. To overcome this limitation, the ChABC mutants were engineered to at least 15 point mutations in domain 2 of the wild-type ChABC and/or at least 5 point mutations in domain 3 of the wild-type enzyme. These mutants exhibit improved stability over wild-type ChABC. The present application further provides method and compositions comprising the mutant ChABC for treating conditions associated with excess proteoglycan formation or conditions for which treatment is benefitted by degradation of proteoglycans, including CNS injuries, scarring and cancer.

Provided are anti-glypican-3 (GPC3) antibodies or antigen binding fragments thereof, and a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) that binds glypican-3 (GPC3) containing an anti-GPC3 antibody in an extracellular domain, a transmembrane domain, and an intracellular signaling domain. Immune effector cells transduced with the disclosed CAR constructs can be used for cancer immunotherapy.

Provided are a glypican-3 (GPC3)-specific modified aptamer, and prevention or treatment of hepatoma using the same. The glypican-3-specific modified aptamer of the present invention specifically binds to glypican-3 to be internalized into hepatoma cells, and exhibits anticancer activity through an anticancer agent bound to the aptamer, and therefore, has a selective anticancer effect only for GPC3-expressing hepatoma cells without affecting normal hepatocytes.

It is disclosed herein that condroitin sulfate proteoglycan 4 (CSPG4), also known as high molecular weight melanoma associated antigen, is overexpressed on basal breast carcinoma cells (BBC), specifically triple negative basal breast carcinoma cells (TNBC). Methods for detecting basal breast cancer in a subject are disclosed. Methods are also disclosed for inhibiting the growth of a basal breast cancer cell. These methods include contacting the basal breast cancer cell with an effective amount of an antibody that specifically binds CSPG4. Additional treatment methods, and the use of antibody panels, are also described herein.

The present invention refers to an antibody able to recognize and bind to an epitope comprised in a sequence of human Migration Stimulating Factor (MSF), and that doesn't recognize and bind human Fibronectin 1 (hFn1) and to uses in diagnostic methods and therapy.

A method, device and kit for detecting sepsis or bacteremia in a patient includes detecting peptidoglycan associated lipoprotein (Pal) from Gram-negative bacteria in the urine of the patient is disclosed.

Muramic acid measurements in acid hydrolysed digesta samples are used to measure the activity of peptidoglycan hydrolyzing enzyme, as illustrated by the use of a muramidase, as determined by the degree of peptidoglycan hydrolysis, in the gastrointestinal tract of animals fed supplements with the muramidase.

A method for diagnosing or prognosing, multiple sclerosis including the steps of (a) measuring the amount of at least one first protein as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1, the at least first protein belonging to the group of proteins: a first protein, a second protein, a third protein, a fourth protein and a fifth protein, as set forth in SEQ ID NO 1 to 5, (b) comparing the amount of the at least first protein with the amount of the same protein in a control sample, and (c) determining the status of the biological sample.

The present disclosure relates to a method of diagnosing Lyme disease in a subject comprising measuring the level of B. burgdorferi peptidoglycan or the level of an antibody that specifically binds to B. burgdorferi peptidoglycan (“anti-peptidoglycan agent”). The present disclosure also relates to a method of treating a Lyme disease in a subject in need thereof comprising administering to the subject an antagonist against B. burgdorferi peptidoglycan (e.g., an anti-peptidoglycan antibody or a peptidoglycan-specific hydrolase). Antagonists (e.g., anti-peptidoglycan antibodies) suitable for the present methods are also disclosed.