micromol.com

Autoimmune disease / Allergy

One of MicroMol's earliest funded research activities was focussed on the determination and interference in abnormalities of the human immune system, especially in autoimmune disease and allergy. In this area 4 projects were funded by the authorities:

DIATRAK

The goal of the DiaTRAK project was the development of an innovative technology for the diagnosis of TSH receptor dependent autoimmune disease. As a result of this project a preliminary test system based on recombinant TSHR variants was established with which it was possible to determine anti-TSHR reactivity from the serum of patients suffering from thyroid autoimmune disease.

THERATRAK

During the course of the TheraTRAK project 3 physiologically relevant autoantibody epitopes of the human TSH receptor which might be basis for a novel therapeutical approach for the treatment of autoimmune diseases of the thyroid could be evaluated.

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Achievements/customer oriented services:

• Identification of  3 physiological relevant autoantibody epitopes on the extracellular domain of the human TSH receptor
• Generation of TSHR specific polyclonal antibodies
• Establishment of a test system for the general identification of immunological relevant autoantibody epitopes in autoimmune disease and allergy (peptide scanning)

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ALLERGOSCAN/ALLERGODIFF

The AllergoScan and the AllergoDiff projects, granted either by the initiative Biotechnology Baden Württemberg or the KMU-INNOVATIV initiative respectively, focussed on the development of a highly specific method for the determination of hidden food allergens in defined food samples and/or directly in the production line of food producing facilities. Hereby the focus is directed onto celery as one of the most powerful food allergens known to date. ALLERGODIFF was carried out in cooperation with R-biopharm AG, aimed to specify celery reactivities and to transform research results in a real test formate.

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Achievements/customer oriented services:

• Highly reactive and specific antisera against the celery allergen Api g1 as well as against protein extracts from celery
• Highly reactive and specific antisera against a variety op peptides (highly immunogenic vs. unique) derived from the Api 1 amino acid sequence

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SUPRES/INFECT

Two recent highly innovative research projects  granted by the authorities (BMWT and BMBF)  focus on the infection and infection prevention of zoonotic pathogens like Salmonella and Campylobacter spec. In this regard MicroMol established a unique panel of chicken enterocyte cell lines to create the perfect environment to analyze the infection of these zoonotic pathogens. During the course of these projects it is planned to establish in vitro test systems which mimick the natural infection process and will be an optimal basis to evaluate inhibitors of the infection process.

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Achievements/customer oriented services:

• 224 enterocyte cell lines of the chicken representing at least 5 different phenotypes
• Test systems evaluating the toxicity of gut specific toxicity of pathogens
• Test systems evaluating the penetrating potential of pathogens
• Test systems to interfere (compounds, substances) in the infection process (toxicity, penetration) of zoonotic pathogens

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Products, achievements and services are open to the scientific community and the customer. MicroMol is looking forward to your contact!