Selection of a novel and highly specific tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) antagonist: insight from the crystal structure of the antagonist-TNFalpha complex.

Inhibition of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) is a favorable way of treating several important diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn disease, and psoriasis. Therefore, an extensive range of TNFalpha inhibitory proteins, most of them based upon an antibody scaffold, has been developed and used with variable success as therapeutics. We have developed a novel technology platform using C-type lectins as a vehicle for the creation of novel trimeric therapeutic proteins with increased avidity and unique properties as compared with current protein therapeutics.

Application and evaluation of RT-PCR-ELISA for the nucleoprotein and RT-PCR for detection of low-pathogenic H5 and H7 subtypes of avian influenza virus.

Three 1-tube Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reactions (RT-PCR) directed against the genes encoding the nucleoprotein (NP) and the H5 and H7 hemagglutinin (HA) gene, respectively, were used for detection of avian influenza virus (AIV) in various specimens. A total of 1,040 samples originating from chickens experimentally infected with 2 different low pathogenic avian influenza viruses, from domestic ducks and from wild aquatic birds were examined. The outcome of 1) the universal AIV RT-PCR including a PCR-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) procedure directed against NP (NP RT-PCR-ELISA) and 2) the subtype specific RT-PCR for H5 and H7 were compared to the results obtained by inoculation of the same specimens into the allantoic cavity of embryonated specific pathogen free (SPF) hen's eggs.

RT-PCR-ELISA as a tool for diagnosis of low-pathogenicity avian influenza.

A one-tube reverse transcriptase/polymerase chain reaction coupled with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (RT-PCR-ELISA) was developed for the rapid detection of avian influenza virus (AIV) in clinical specimens. A total of 419 swab pools were analyzed from chickens experimentally infected with low-pathogenicity AIV, from wild aquatic birds, and from domestic ducks. The AIV was detected in 32 swab pools by RT-PCR-ELISA compared to 23 by virus isolation (VI) in embryonated specific pathogen free (SPF) chicken eggs.