The invention relates to a method for identifying markers for systemic sclerosis (scleroderma, SSc) and to the markers identified by means of said method, which can differentiate between SSc and other autoimmune diseases and between different SSc sub-groups. The invention also relates to panels, diagnostic means, and test kits which comprise said markers and to the use and application thereof, for example for the diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy control for SSc. The invention further relates to methods for screening and validating active ingredients for use in SSc sub-groups.
Monoclonal antibodies to growth and differentiation factor 15 (gdf-15), and uses thereof for treating cancer cachexia and cancer
The present invention relates to monoclonal anti-human-GDF-15 antibodies. The antibodies include chimeric antibodies and humanized antibodies. The invention also relates to monoclonal anti-human-GDF-15 antibodies including murine antibodies, chimeric antibodies and humanized antibodies for use in methods for the treatment of cancer cachexia and also for the treatment of cancer. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions, kits, methods and uses and cell lines capable of producing the monoclonal antibodies of the invention.
Today, lithographic methods enable combinatorial synthesis of >50,000 oligonucleotides per cm2, an advance that has revolutionized the whole field of genomics. A similar development is expected for the field of proteomics, provided that affordable, very high-density peptide arrays are available. However, peptide arrays lag behind oligonucleotide arrays. This is mainly due to the monomer-by-monomer repeated consecutive coupling of 20 different amino acids associated with lithography, which adds up to an excessive number of coupling cycles. A combinatorial synthesis based on electrically charged solid amino acid particles resolves this problem. A computer chip consecutively addresses the different charged particles to a solid support, where, when completed, the whole layer of solid amino acid particles is melted at once. This frees hitherto immobilized amino acids to couple all 20 different amino acids in one single coupling reaction to the support. The method should allow for the translation of entire genomes into a set of overlapping peptides to be used in proteome research.
