Molecular diagnosis and prognosis with DNA microarrays.

Microarray analysis makes it possible to determine thousands of gene expression values simultaneously. Changes in gene expression, as a response to diseases, can be detected allowing a better understanding and differentiation of diseases at a molecular level. By comparing different kinds of tissue, for example healthy tissue and cancer tissue, the microarray analysis indicates induced gene activity, repressed gene activity or when there is no change in the gene activity level.

On the occurrence of the diabetes-associated antigen GAD 65 in human sera.

Background: Glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD 65) is involved as an antigen in diabetes mellitus type 1 and is generally considered to be located intracellularly in pancreas β-cells. In this study we demonstrate its appearance in 64 human sera samples representing a cross-section of a blood bank.

Method: The proof of GAD 65 in sera was done using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) setup where it was detected by interaction with corresponding antibodies labeled with an enzyme.

The diabetic antigen glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD 65) in the human peripheral blood.

Background: Glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD 65) is a diabetes-associated antigen which is generally considered to be strictly intracellular. In order to better understand autoimmunity, this study demonstrates the appearance of GAD 65 in the peripheral human blood and presents implications for the diagnosis and therapy of some autoimmune diseases.

Methods: The GAD 65 molecules are detected by their interaction with monoclonal antibodies labeled with dyes in an experimental setup with fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS).

The tumour necrosis factor as a mediator of vessel inflammation: importance of exposed receptor residues for its neutralization.

Background: The analysis of the macromolecular tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-receptor interface helps to understand the antigenicity of this inflammatory protein.

Method: The calculations are based on structural data from the protein database. The residues of the macromolecular interface are identified in the interface contact matrix, a plot of pair-wise interactions between adjacent residues in the TNF-receptor complex.

Homology modelling: a review about the method on hand of the diabetic antigen GAD 65 structure prediction.

This introductory paper describes the basic principles and clinical applications of the protein 3D structure prediction by homology modelling. The paper mainly addresses physicians and medical chemists. Because many proteins are of immediate clinical importance, the determination of their structures is crucial for molecular medicine.