The present invention discloses a novel therapeutic intervention for osteoporosis. The present invention discloses that Interleukin-3 (IL-3) can be utilized as a therapeutic intervention against osteoporosis and for regulating bone homeostasis. The present invention also provides a method for determining the pre-disposition of a subject for osteoporosis by measuring the RANKL/OPG level.

Disclosed herein is a T-helper cell (“T.sub.H-GM” cell) that is regulated by IL-7/STAT5 and which secrete GM-CSF/IL-3. Also disclosed are methods and compositions for modulating T.sub.H-GM function for the treatment of, e.g., inflammatory disorders. Diagnostic and prognostic methods for specifically identifying T.sub.H-GM-mediated inflammatory disorders (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis), as distinct from and/or in addition to non-T.sub.H-GM-mediated (e.g., TNF-α-mediated) inflammatory disorders, are also provided.

A method of treating or preventing breast cancer (eg invasive ductal carcinoma) and/or cancer associated with elevated levels of either one or both of the IL-3 receptor (IL-3R) and interleukin-3 (IL-3) is disclosed which comprises administering to a subject an IL-3-inhibiting agent such as an agent which inhibits (eg by blocking) IL-3R.

The present invention is related to detecting respiratory diseases using molecular markers as prognostic tool of the evolution of respiratory infection cases. Concretely, during the differential diagnostic of respiratory infections caused by the Syncytial Respiratory Virus and human Metapneumovirus, it will be established the expression pattern of the severity markers of IL-3, IL-33 and IL12p40. The expression pattern of the molecular markers can be defined in biological samplers using ELISA assays, flow cytometry or PCR in real time. The confirmation of the etiological agent of the infection in combination to the pattern definition of the molecular markers IL-3, IL-33 and IL12p40 will indicate a prognostic of the disease severity.

Anti-human interleukin 3 (IL-3) antibodies or fragments thereof according to the present invention are useful as therapeutic agents. The antibodies can be used in pharmaceutical compositions for the treatment or prevention of diseases which are associated with elevated expression or levels of human IL-3 in a patient, especially inflammatory or autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis. The antibodies can also be used to detect human IL-3 expressed by human cells.

Disclosed herein is a T-helper cell (T.sub.H-GM cell) that is regulated by IL-7/STAT5 and which secrete GM-CSF/IL-3. Also disclosed are methods and compositions for modulating T.sub.H-GM function for the treatment of, e.g., inflammatory disorders. Diagnostic and prognostic methods for specifically identifying T.sub.H-GM-mediated inflammatory disorders (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis), as distinct from and/or in addition to non-T.sub.H-GM-mediated (e.g., TNF--mediated) inflammatory disorders, are also provided.

Disclosed herein is a T-helper cell (T.sub.H-GM cell) that is regulated by IL-7/STAT5 and which secrete GM-CSF/IL-3. Also disclosed are methods and compositions for modulating T.sub.H-GM function for the treatment of, e.g., inflammatory disorders. Diagnostic and prognostic methods for specifically identifying T.sub.H-GM-mediated inflammatory disorders (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis), as distinct from and/or in addition to non-T.sub.H-GM-mediated (e.g., TNF--mediated) inflammatory disorders, are also provided.

The invention relates to in vitro or ex vivo methods for assessing the cognitive function of a subject in the context of the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases. A particular method comprises a step of associating a subject to a cognitive status selected from healthy cognitive status, Subjective Cognitive Impairment, Mild Cognitive Impairment and neurodegenerative disease, and the association of cognitive status results from the evaluation of glycosylated MCSF and CCR2 expressed at the surface of PBMC in a biological sample from the subject. The present invention also provides kits suitable for implementing such methods.

The present invention discloses a novel therapeutic intervention for osteoporosis. The present invention discloses that Interleukin-3 (IL-3) can be utilized as a therapeutic intervention against osteoporosis and for regulating bone homeostasis. The present invention also provides a method for determining the pre-disposition of a subject for osteoporosis by measuring the RANKL/OPG level.

A method of treating or preventing breast cancer (eg invasive ductal carcinoma) and/or cancer associated with elevated levels of either one or both of the IL-3 receptor (IL-3R) and interleukin-3 (IL-3) is disclosed which comprises administering to a subject an IL-3 -inhibiting agent such as an agent which inhibits (eg by blocking) IL-3R.