The present invention relates to the use of the editing profile of PDE8A pre-mRNA as a specific bio marker of ADARs activities in evolved primate, particularly in Human tissues. The present invention also relates to an in vitro method for predicting in Human an alteration of the mechanism of the ADARs catalysed pre-mRNA editing of target genes, by analysing the PDE8A pre-mRNA editing profile in a peripheral tissue sample containing cells expressing said PDE8A pre-mRNA, such as blood sample. The present invention is also directed to an in vitro method for the screening of potential therapeutic compound and to predict and assess therapeutic efficacy and/or efficiency or to diagnose potential severe brain or peripheral drug side effects implementing said PDE8A pre-mRNA editing profile as specific biomarker. The present invention is further directed to a method for determining the PDE8A pre-mRNA editing profile in Human, particularly by capillary electrophoresis single-strand conformation polymorphism (CE-SSCP) method after amplification by a nested PCR. Finally the invention relates to particular nucleic acid primers implemented in said nested PCR and kit comprising such sets of primers and human cells capable of expressing PDE8A and ADARs.

The present invention relates to in vitro methods for the determination of the potential toxicity of test compounds. The invention also comprises in vitro methods for the selection of therapeutical compounds useful for the treatment of pathology related to an alteration of the mechanism of the mRNA editing of ADAR dependent A to I mRNA editing of the serotonin 2C receptor (5HTR2C). Finally, the present invention is directed to the kits and tools for the implementation of these methods. The invention is of special utility in the pharmaceutical industry for analysis of the toxicity profile or the screening of compounds involved in drug development and/or in pharmaceutical compositions.

The present invention provides a method of modulating appetite and/or body weight in a subject, said method comprising administering to said subject an effective amount of a MIC-1-modulating agent, wherein said agent increases or decreases the amount of MIC-1 present in said subject, or inhibits or enhances the biological activity of MIC-1 present in said subject.

Disclosed herein are biosensors including transcription, translation, and coupled transcription/translation systems. The biosensors may be made from cell lysates, purified enzymes, or a combination thereof. The biosensors may include an inhibitor, and may include a reporter. The biosensor may be supplied in a kit for testing for a disease or condition. Methods of using the biosensor are also disclosed.

The present invention relates to the use of the editing profile of PDE8A pre-mRNA as a specific bio marker of ADARs activities in evolved primate, particularly in Human tissues. The present invention also relates to an in vitro method for predicting in Human an alteration of the mechanism of the ADARs catalysed pre-mRNA editing of target genes, by analysing the PDE8A pre-mRNA editing profile in a peripheral tissue sample containing cells expressing said PDE8A pre-mRNA, such as blood sample. The present invention is also directed to an in vitro method for the screening of potential therapeutic compound and to predict and assess therapeutic efficacy and/or efficiency or to diagnose potential severe brain or peripheral drug side effects implementing said PDE8A pre-mRNA editing profile as specific biomarker. The present invention is further directed to a method for determining the PDE8A pre-mRNA editing profile in Human, particularly by capillary electrophoresis single-strand conformation polymorphism (CE-SSCP) method after amplification by a nested PCR. Finally the invention relates to particular nucleic acid primers implemented in said nested PCR and kit comprising such sets of primers and human cells capable of expressing PDE8A and ADARs.

The present invention provides a method of modulating appetite and/or body weight in a subject, said method comprising administering to said subject an effective amount of a MIC-1-modulating agent, wherein said agent increases or decreases the amount of MIC-1 present in said subject, or inhibits or enhances the biological activity of MIC-1 present in said subject.

The present invention provides a method of modulating appetite and/or body weight in a subject, said method comprising administering to said subject an effective amount of a MIC-1-modulating agent, wherein said agent increases or decreases the amount of MIC-1 present in said subject, or inhibits or enhances the biological activity of MIC-1 present in said subject.