The present invention relates to the treatment of pancreatic cancer. In this study, the results of the inventors led them to highlight the non-explored but relevant pathway in the pancreatic cancer field, the Fatty Acid Oxidation (FAO) pathway. Interestingly, they found that the mitochondrial respiration of PDAC cells depends mostly on this pathway. Thus they hypothesized that inhibition of FAO could be an effective therapeutic strategy against PDAC. 10 Their data support the hypothesis that this metabolic pathway plays a crucial role in PDAC, as it has been reported in other types of cancer. Thus, the invention relates to an inhibitor of fatty acid oxidation (FAO) for use in the treatment of pancreatic cancer in a patient in need thereof.

The present invention provides a method of diagnosing endometriosis and/or infertility in a subject, comprising: a) obtaining a sample from the subject; b) detecting a level of expression of a SIRT1 gene and/or protein in the sample; c) detecting a level of expression of a BCL6 gene and/or protein in the sample; d) comparing the level of expression detected in (b) with the level of expression of a SIRT1 gene and/or protein in a sample obtained from a control subject or a population of control subjects; e) comparing the level of expression detected in (c) with the level of expression of a BCL6 gene and/or protein in a sample obtained from a control subject or a population of control subjects; and f) diagnosing the subject as having infertility when the subject has a level of expression of the SIRT1 gene and/or protein greater than the level of expression of the SIRT1 gene and/or protein of the control subject or population of control subjects and also has a level of expression of the BCL6 gene and/or protein that is greater than the level of expression of the BCL6 gene and/or protein of the control subject or population of control subjects.

A method of treating a cancer in a mammalian subject with a tumor signature characterized by any one or more of (i) a level of sirtuin (SIRT3) protein that is below a first predetermined threshold level, (ii) a level of manganese superoxide dismutase acetylated at the lysine 68 residue (AcK68) that exceeds a second predetermined threshold level, and (iii) expression levels of hypoxia-inducible factor 2.sub.α (HIF2.sub.α) that exceed a third predetermined threshold level indicative of lineage plasticity for stemness, the method comprising administering to the mammalian subject a therapeutically effective amount of a pentaaza macrocyclic ring complex corresponding to the Formula (I) below, optionally with administration of a further anti-cancer therapeutic agent.

##STR00001##

The present invention encompasses the recognition that identification of alternative means to block RAS oncogenic signaling may be required for developing novel cancer therapies. Among other things, the present invention encompasses the recognition that targeting RAS palmitoylation can achieve effective therapy for RAS-related cancers. Furthermore, the present invention encompasses the recognition that reduction of ZDHHC9 level and/or activity can significantly reduce palmitoylation level of Ras protein. Among other things, the present invention encompasses the recognition that identification of agents that modulate expression and/or activity of ZDHHC9 can reduce palmitoylation level of Ras protein. In some embodiments, the present invention provides methods of treating a subject suffering from cancer by administering ZDHHC9 inhibition therapy.

Specific peptides, and derived ionization characteristics of the peptides, from the Fatty acid synthase (FASN) protein are provided that are particularly advantageous for quantifying the FASN protein directly in biological samples that have been fixed in formalin by the method of Selected Reaction Monitoring (SRM) mass spectrometry, or what can also be termed as Multiple Reaction Monitoring (MRM) mass spectrometry. Such biological samples are chemically preserved and fixed and are selected from tissues and cells treated with formaldehyde containing agents/fixatives including formalin-fixed tissue/cells, formalin-fixed/paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissue/cells, FFPE tissue blocks and cells from those blocks, and tissue culture cells that have been formalin fixed and or paraffin embedded. A protein sample is prepared from said biological sample using the Liquid Tissue™ reagents and protocol and the FASN protein is quantitated in the Liquid Tissue™ sample by the method of SRM/MRM mass spectrometry by quantitating in the protein sample at least one or more of the peptides described. These peptides can be quantitated if they reside in a modified or an unmodified form. An example of a modified form of an FASN peptide is phosphorylation of a tyrosine, threonine, serine, and/or other amino acid residues within the peptide sequence.

A use of a substance for inhibiting SOAT1 gene expression and/or protein activity. The use is selected from at least one of: (a) Preparation of kits for liver cancer diagnosis; (b) Preparation of kits for liver cancer prognosis; (c) Preparation of companion diagnostic kits for treatment of liver cancer; (d) For the preparation of drugs for the prevention and/or treatment of cancer; (e) For the preparation of drugs for the prevention and/treatment of cancer spread and metastasis; (f) For the preparation of drugs that promote the apoptosis of cancer cells; (g) For the preparation of drugs for inhibiting cancer cell formation; (h) For the preparation of drugs that inhibit the proliferation and growth of cancer cells in vitro. Experiments have shown that SOAT1 is highly expressed in liver cancer tissues and serum, and its high abundance indicates poor prognosis of liver cancer patients.

Among the various aspects of the present disclosure is the provision of a method of detection, treatment, and monitoring of cardiovascular disease or a foot wound by detection of a novel biomarker, Fatty Acid Synthase (FAS). Briefly, therefore, the present disclosure is directed to methods that allow for improved, noninvasive, and reliable diagnosis of these conditions, particularly in subjects suffering from Type 2 Diabetes (T2D).

A method of determining fetal lung development, by taking a sample from a pregnant subject, applying the sample to a panel including at least one biomarker for fetal lung maturity, measuring a response of the sample to the biomarker, and determining fetal lung maturity. A panel including an assay with at least one biomarker for fetal lung maturity on a solid support.

A mutant Bacillus subtilis, which does not express a functional KASIIIA and/or KASIIIB, and method of making; a mutant Rhodospirillum rubrum, which does not express a functional PhaC1, PhaC2, and/or PhaC3, and method of making; method of characterizing substrate specificity of KASIII; method of making mutant KASIII with altered substrate specificity and/or altered level of activity and nucleic acid, vector, host cell/organism, and mutant KASIII; an in vitro, high-throughput spectrophotometric method of assaying KASIII activity; and materials and methods for using KASIII for production of bi-functional fatty acids and the materials so produced.

Methods to identify modulators of histone acetyltransferases are described. Modulators of histone acetyltransferases can be used to treat individuals. In some instances, modulators of histone acetyltransferases are utilized to treat individuals having a neoplasm.