================================================================= == -- ALS INTEREST GROUP -- == == ALS DIGEST (#22, 11 FEB 1993) == == To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to contribute notes, please == == send E-mail to: bro@huey.met.fsu.edu (Bob Broedel) == ================================================================= (1) ===== NOTE FROM RUSSIA ========== >Date : Thu, 11 Feb 93 20:13:30 +0300 >To : broedel@geomag.gly.fsu.edu >From : icla@immoscow.gtc.de (ICLA mailbox) >Subject: OT ERIKA MINSKERA (from Erik Minsker) > > Dear Mr. Broedel, >Thank you very much for your letter. Fund "PELC" is taking >care of some researsh medical programmes one of which is >devouted to the study of the mechanisms of Nerve-Growth-Factor >system alteration during neurodegenerative diseases including >ALS. As you know NGF system plays pathogenetic role in ALS. >The hypofunction of this system led to the degeneration of >both motor and sensory nerve fibres in animals and patients. >One of the reason of the NGF system hypofunction can be the >high level specific anti-NGF autoantibodies in biological >fluids of patients which convert physiologically active NGF >into inert complex. Therefore the determination of the level >of anti-NGF autoantibodies in sera of ALS patients could be >important parameter necessaring for the development of the >new way of the patient treatment. For this purpose our research >group has used their preparation of bovine seminal plasma NGF >in ELISA assay to detect and measure anti-NGF antibodies in >sera of ALS patients. Our preliminary data shows that patients >with neurodegenerative diseases are revealed an significantly >higher titer of anti-NGF autoantibodies in sera then in controls. >This data come to the possibility to use the method of specific >hyposensibilization to reduce titer of the autoantibodies as >a new and effective treatment of the ALS patients. Now we are >tried to develop the method of specific hyposensibilization >for the treatment of the patients with neurodegenerative >diseases but the economic situation in Russia is very grave >now and we are looking for means to support our perspective >research. We are very grateful to you for the invitation to >join to your discussion group. If our information is interest >for you, please send me a message. > >Sincerely yours, Erik I. Minsker, President >Fund "PELC", Moscow, Russia > Erik ... I hope you don't mind that I have circulated your message to others who are interested in ALS. Many thanks to you for sending the message. Yes, we are interested in the work that Fund "PELC" is doing. I can send you back issues of the ALS messages by way of e-mail, or if you let me know your mailing address I can send you hard copy by way of air mail. I hope to be keeping in contact with you. rgds,bro (2) ===== STILL SEARCHING ... ========== Here is a sample of what is available via NewsNet. ENTER SUBJECT TERMS -> cntf System is now searching the newsletter you selected, copyrighted 1993 and available through NewsNet, Inc. 1) 12/07/92 BT08 - BIOTECHNOLOGY NEWSWATCH 156/17 REGENERON NEURO-FACTOR LIMITS EYE DAMAGE 2) 10/19/92 BT08 - BIOTECHNOLOGY NEWSWATCH 59/12 PROCESS FOR THE SYNTHESIS AND PURIFICATION OF HUMAN CILIARY NEURONOTROPHIC FACTOR (CNTF) FROM ESCHERICHIA COLI 3) 06/15/92 BT08 - BIOTECHNOLOGY NEWSWATCH 352/38 SYNERGEN/SYNTEX ALS DRUG GETS ORPHAN STATUS 4) 04/06/92 BT08 - BIOTECHNOLOGY NEWSWATCH 127/19 PURIFIED CILIARY NEUROTROPHIC FACTOR Please enter the heading number(s) of the full text article(s) you wish to see. Separate each with a comma. (e.g. 1,5,6) -> 2,4 Headline #2 Copyright BIOTECHNOLOGY NEWSWATCH [BT08] via NewsNet Monday October 19, 1992 Vol. 12, No. 20 PROCESS FOR THE SYNTHESIS AND PURIFICATION OF HUMAN CILIARY NEURONOTROPHIC FACTOR (CNTF) FROM ESCHERICHIA COLI WO 92/13072 Published: Aug. 6, 1992 Filed: Jan. 21, 1992 Priority: Jan. 21, 1991 Fidia S.P.A., Abano Terme, Italy A process is disclosed for the synthesis and purification of human ciliary neuronotrophic factor (CNTF) by the use of transformed cells containing an expression vector comprised of the gene for human CNTF. Headline #4 BIOTECHNOLOGY NEWSWATCH [BT08] via NewsNet Monday April 6, 1992 Vol. 12, No. 7 PURIFIED CILIARY NEUROTROPHIC FACTOR GB 246 132 Published: Jan. 22, 1992 Filed: Jan. 5, 1990 Priority: Jan. 5, 1989 Synergen Inc., Boulder, CO A ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), particularly sciatic nerve CNTF (SN-CNTF) is claimed. The SN-CNTF described herein is a single protein species and has a specific activity that Increased to greater than 25,000-fold from crude extract. Amino acid data for this SN-CNTF is also provided. In addition, methods for using this data for providing SN-CNTF probes and for screening CDNA and genomic libraries are also provided. Recombinant-DNA methods for the production of SN-CNTF are described. Nucleic acid sequences encoding rabbit and human CNTF are provided. A recombinant expression system is provided for producing biologically active CNTF. == end of als 22 ==