Methods, compositions and cells are provided that identify and isolate a population of adult non-embryonic progenitor cells having multilineage potential, physical diameters of about 2 μm to about 8 μm in size or about 4 μm to about 6 μm, and expressing at least one of the stem cell associated genes among Oct-4, KLF-4, Nanog, Sox-2, Rex-1, GDF-3 or Stella. Methods are also provided that identify and isolate populations, which are subsets or subpopulations of progenitor adult stem cells within the population of the adult stem cells which is a heterogeneous population, the methods including contacting the adult stem cells with a ligand specific for at least one of: CD99, tetraspan, ICAM4, full-length MUC1, and truncated MUC1 receptor, in which a presence of a surface protein on the cells that bind to the ligand identifies the population which is the subset of the differentiated progenitor adult stem cells.

The presently-disclosed subject matter relates to crosslinkers, compositions, and methods for trapping a target of interest on a substrate of interest. The methods may be used to inhibit and treat pathogen infection and provide contraception. The methods may be used to trap or separate particles and other substances. The subject matter further relates to methods of identifying and preparing optimal crosslinkers and methods for manipulating targets of interest.

The present invention relates to antibodies that bind to human and monkey mucin 17 (MUC17). Moreover, the invention relates to a detection system comprising such antibodies. The antibodies or the detection system may be used for detecting or quantifying MUC17, for diagnosing a disease associated with MUC17, for patient stratification, monitoring disease progression, and evaluating the therapeutic response.

The invention relates to a peptidomimetic comprising or consisting of a D amino-acid sequence having at least 75% identity with SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 2, or variants or fragments thereof, in particular a peptidomimetic having the capability to interact at least with: neutrophils and/or neutrophil granules, and/or lactoferrin, and/or globet-cells and/or Muc2 proteins, and/or mucus and/or airway sputum. The peptidomimetic may have the capacity to adopt a multimeric, especially a trimeric, organization, and can be labelled, or associated with a reporter or a carrier entity, or associated with an active molecule. The invention also relates to a Solid-Phase Synthesis method for synthesizing a peptidomimetic of the invention, compositions comprising the same and use of the peptidomimetics as a medicamentor an inflammation marker or a neutrophilic inflammation marker. The invention also relates to the use of a peptidomimetic as a probe or marker for staining purposes, or to detect mucus production, or neutrophils, or to detect or monitor diseases or conditions, especially neutrophilic inflammation. The invention also relates to the use of a polypeptide comprising or consisting of SEQ ID NO: 3, or variants or fragments thereof, as probe or marker for staining lactoferrin, in particular neutrophil lactoferrin, or a probe or marker for investigating neutrophilic inflammation, especially in an imaging method.

The invention provides diagnostic and therapeutic targets for pulmonary disease, in particular, fibrotic lung disease. The inventors have found that a genetic variant MUC5B gene is associated with increased expression of the gene, increased risk of developing a pulmonary disease, and an improved prognosis and survival among those developing the pulmonary disease.

Disclosed are methods of isolating a TCR having antigenic specificity for a mutated amino acid sequence encoded by a cancer-specific mutation, the method comprising: identifying one or more genes in the nucleic acid of a cancer cell of a patient, each gene containing a cancer-specific mutation that encodes a mutated amino acid sequence; inducing autologous APCs of the patient to present the mutated amino acid sequence; co-culturing autologous T cells of the patient with the autologous APCs that present the mutated amino acid sequence; selecting the autologous T cells; and isolating a nucleotide sequence that encodes the TCR from the selected autologous T cells, wherein the TCR has antigenic specificity for the mutated amino acid sequence encoded by the cancer-specific mutation. Also disclosed are related methods of preparing a population of cells, populations of cells, TCRs, pharmaceutical compositions, and methods of treating or preventing cancer.

Methods and devices for diagnosing, monitoring, or determining diabetic nephropathy or an associated disorder in a mammal are described. In particular, methods and devices for diagnosing, monitoring, or determining diabetic nephropathy or an associated disorder using measured concentrations of a combination of three or more analytes in a test sample taken from the mammal are described.

In various embodiments the invention provides anti-mucin-like protein (MLP) monoclonal antibodies, compositions and methods for detecting MLP as a biomarker for mucin-secreting type of cancer such as ovarian or pancreatic cancer.

The problem to be solved is to provide an anti-human MUC1 antibody Fab fragment that is expected to be useful in the diagnosis and/or treatment of a cancer, particularly, the diagnosis and/or treatment of breast cancer or bladder cancer, and a diagnosis approach and/or a treatment approach using a conjugate comprising the Fab fragment. The solution is an anti-human MUC1 antibody Fab fragment comprising a heavy chain fragment comprising a heavy chain variable region consisting of the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 8 or 10, and a light chain comprising a light chain variable region consisting of the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 12, and a conjugate comprising the Fab fragment.

Early detection of tumors is a major determinant of survival of patients suffering from tumors, including gastric tumors. Members of the GTM gene family can be differentially expressed in gastric tumor tissue, and thus can be used as markers for the detection of gastric and other types of cancer. The present invention provides for novel GTMs for the detection of tumors, including gastric tumors, and in particular human zymogen granule protein 16 (ZG16). The GTMs can be used in isolation or together with other known GTMs to provide for novel signatures to be used in the detection of tumors, including gastric tumors.