The present disclosure relates to the treatment of Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS) and diseases related to vascular ageing and in the treatment of smooth muscle cells diseases, in particular an inhibitor of a metalloprotease the treatment of smooth muscle cells diseases. The disclosure subject matter describes a more effective therapies for the treatment of Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome and diseases related to vascular ageing, or namely by the use of an inhibitor of a metalloprotease.

The present invention provides compositions and methods useful for regulating fertilization and for use as a contraceptive based on the discovery herein of an oocyte specific protein, SAS1R (Sperm Acrosomal SLLP1 Receptor), which is a sperm protein receptor. Six SAS1R variants, including the full length SAS1R, were identified. mSLLP1 and SAS1R co-localized to oocytes and to acrosomes of acrosome-reacted sperm. Interactions between mSLLP1 and SAS1R were demonstrated by far-western analysis, in a yeast two-hybrid system under stringent selection conditions, and by immunoprecipitation of SAS1R by anti-mSLLP1 as well as the converse. Purified recombinant SAS1R was found to have protease activity, to inhibit fertilization in-vitro, and to induce an immune response in females. Together, the results suggest SAS1R is a proteolytically active, oocyte and early embryo specific oolemmal metalloprotease receptor for the sperm intra-acrosomal ligand SLLP1 and is a target for regulating fertilization and as a contraceptive.

Provided herein are methods and devices related to inducing a population of self-renewing or senescent stem cells, to produce one or more beneficial factors for the treatment of a disease or disorder in an individual. Also provided are compositions and methods for inducing senescence, useful for inducing senescence in a population of stem cells, in order to produce one or more beneficial factors for the treatment of a disease or disorder in an individual. Methods and devices to control and customize the production of the beneficial factors for the requirements of a disease or disorder being treated are described. Also provided are factor production units for the production of the beneficial factors, and devices for the delivery of the beneficial factors to an individual in need.

The present invention relates to methods and compositions for monitoring, diagnosis, prognosis, and determination of treatment regimens in subjects suffering from or suspected of having a renal injury. In particular, the invention relates to using assays that detect one or more of Metalloproteinase inhibitor 1, Metalloproteinase inhibitor 2, Metalloproteinase inhibitor 4, C—C motif chemokine 15, C—C motif chemokine 18, C—C motif chemokine 23, and/or, C—C motif chemokine 24 as diagnostic and prognostic biomarker assays in renal injuries.

The present invention provides methods for using surgical drainage waste fluid as a means for diagnosing disease, assessing disease progression, predicting metastatic disease, assessing cancer metastasis, disease staging, molecular staging, and assessing metastatic disease. During surgery, suction is used to drain fluids such as blood, tissue fluids, and other bodily fluids away from the surgery site. The suction drainage fluid waste, also called drain fluid, is removed from the patient during the surgical procedure. Because surgical drain fluid is typically viewed as something that is not useful, it is disregarded and thrown away during the surgery. Instead, the invention provides that drain fluid, which is mostly lymphatic fluid and interstitial fluid, is diagnostically rich and contains important information for assessing, diagnosing, and treating disease. The methods of the invention use this waste fluid for the valuable data it contains. Therefore, while a patient is already undergoing surgery for a medical condition, the waste drain fluid is sampled and analyzed for biomarkers or other molecular indicia of disease.

The present invention relates to compositions and methods of use of anti-ADAMTS13 autoantibodies and fragments thereof. In one aspect, the invention includes a composition comprising an isolated anti-ADAMTS13 autoantibody or fragment thereof. In other aspects, methods are described for generating an in vivo model of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) comprising introducing at least one anti-ADAMTS13 autoantibody or fragment thereof into a model organism and identifying an anti-autoimmune reagent for treating TTP.

The present invention provides an aptamer containing a sequence shown by the following formula (1) or formula (2): TABLE-US-00001 (1) GGGGCCUCC-N.sub.1-GGACYAAACC (2) GGGGCCUCC-N.sub.1-GGACWYAAACC
wherein N.sub.1 shows 3 to 24 bases in length, Y is C or U, and W is A or U (uracil is optionally thymine), wherein the aptamer binds to a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs-5 (ADAMTS5).

A system for preparing a sample containing hemoglobin HbA1c for measurement by an electrochemical sensor includes a lysing formulary, the lysing formulary including a zwitterionic surfactant. The system further includes a oxidizing formulary, the oxidizing formulary including a cationic surfactant and a isothiazoline derivative and a protease formulary, the protease formulary including a molecule including an azole.

The present invention provides a method for screening a substance that controls APP669 N-terminal cleavage activity, the method comprising: causing a candidate substance to act on a cultured cell; measuring an AP-related peptide produced from the cultured cell; and evaluating APP669 N-terminal cleavage activity. The candidate substance is selected, for example, from the group consisting of a low molecular weight compound, a peptide, a protein, and a nucleic acid. The present invention also provides an APP669 N-terminal cleavage enzyme containing ADAMTS4.

Provided is a means capable of predicting a formation of thrombus or a risk thereof in a medical device performing blood circulation by a pump, by a simple and minimally invasive method. A method for predicting a formation of thrombus or a risk thereof in a medical device performing blood circulation by a pump, wherein it is predicted that thrombus is formed or there is a risk thereof in the medical device when a concentration or expression amount of ADAM28 in a body fluid sample collected from a subject wearing the medical device is elevated compared with a reference value.