“
“Monoclonal

antibodies (mAbs) are in widespread use for the treatment of cancer. Their success as cancer therapeutics relies substantially on their ability to engage the immune system. Specifically, Fc-receptor-expressing immune cells mediate the killing of tumor cells by mAbs. Stimulation of these immune effector cells might therefore represent a promising strategy to enhance the therapeutic potential of mAbs. For instance, stimulation of natural killer cells, gamma delta T cells, macrophages, or dendritic cells can be used Tubastatin A in vivo to enhance antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity, phagocytosis or even tumor vaccine effects. Here, we review several ways to improve the antitumor efficacy of mAbs by combining them with therapies that are directed against immune effector cells.”
“Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays important roles in the development, maintenance, and plasticity of the mammalian forebrain. These functions include regulation of neuronal maturation and survival, axonal and dendritic arborization, synaptic efficacy, and modulation of complex behaviors including

depression and spatial learning. Although analysis of mutant mice has helped establish essential developmental see more functions for BDNF, its requirement in the adult is less well documented. We have studied late-onset forebrain-specific BDNF knockout (CaMK-BDNFKO) mice, in which BDNF is lost primarily from the cortex and hippocampus in early adulthood, well after BDNF expression has begun in these structures. We found that although CaMK-BDNFKO mice grew at a normal rate and can survive more than a year, they had smaller brains than wild-type siblings. The CaMK-BDNFKO mice had generally normal behavior in tests for ataxia and anxiety, but displayed

reduced spatial learning ability in the Morris water task and increased depression in the Porsolt swim test. These behavioral deficits were very similar to those we previously described in an early-onset forebrain-specific BDNF knockout. To identify an anatomical correlate of the abnormal behavior, we quantified dendritic spines in cortical neurons. The spine density of CaMK-BDNFKO mice was normal at P35, but by P84, there was a 30% reduction in spine density. The strong similarities we find between A-1155463 nmr early- and late-onset BDNF knockouts suggest that BDNF signaling is required continuously in the CNS for the maintenance of some forebrain circuitry also affected by developmental BDNF depletion. (c) 2012 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Biologically important human proteins often require mammalian cell expression for structural studies, presenting technical and economical problems in the production/purification processes. We introduce a novel affinity peptide tagging system that uses a low affinity anti-peptide monoclonal antibody.

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