The invention disclosed is a process for determining the cytoprotective activity of plasma that prevents the destruction of endothelial cells and forestalls the development of a number of diseases such as atherosclerosis, preeclampsia, edema, nephrotic syndrome, and stroke. The present invention includes a method of diagnosing a patient's proclivity to develop a disease having a correlation to a reduction in the concentration of pI 5.6 albumin in the plasma by determining a value indicative of the concentration of the pI 5.6 albumin that is not bound to VLDL ("free pI 5.6 albumin") in the patient's blood serum. The preferred embodiment of the process utilizes in vitro methods to obtain an indicator of the free pI 5.6 albumin instead of directly measuring the concentration of the free pI 5.6 albumin. The preferred method comprises the steps of: (a) providing a plasma sample containing free albumin, triglycerides, very low density lipoproteins, low density lipoproteins, and non-esterified fatty acids bound to the free albumin; (b) determining the concentration of the free albumin; (c) determining the concentration of the non-esterified fatty acids bound to the free albumin; and (d) calculating a value indicative of the toxicity preventing ability of the plasma by comparing the concentration of the free albumin to the concentration of the non-esterified fatty acids bound to the free albumin. The present process does not provide direct measurement of the cytoprotective activity of plasma, but rather, an empirical value which has clinical relevance in identifying patients with a high chance of developing diseases inhibited by pI 5.6 albumin.

Arbogast Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Method for the prediction of preeclampsia and other diseases

Compositions and processes to alleviate free radical toxicity are disclosed based on the use of nitroxides in association with physiologically compatible macromolecules. In particular, hemoglobin-based red cell substitutes are described featuring stable nitroxide free radicals for use in cell-free hemoglobin solutions, encapsulated hemoglobin solutions, stabilized hemoglobin solutions, polymerized hemoglobin solutions, conjugated hemoglobin solutions, nitroxide-labelled albumin, and nitroxide-labelled immunoglobulin. Formulations are described herein that interact with free radicals, acting as antioxidant enzyme-mimics, which preserve nitroxides in their active form in vivo. Applications are described including blood substitutes, radioprotective agents, imaging agents, agents to protect against ischemia and reperfusion injury, particularly in cerebral ischemia in stroke, and in vivo enzyme mimics among others.

Synzyme Technologies, Inc.

Compositions and methods utilizing nitroxides in combination with biocompatible macromolecules

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a new class of drugs for therapeutic treatment of such indications as cerebral stroke and other ischemia/reperfusion injury. Thus, in accordance with the present invention, dithiocarbamates are linked to the surface of a non-immunogenic, non-targeting macromolecule other than an antibody (e.g., albumin protein) either by using cross-linking reagents or by nonspecific binding to produce polydithiocarbamate-macromolecule-containing compositions, which represent a new class of drugs for therapeutic treatment of such indications as cerebral stroke and other ischemia/reperfusion injury. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, combinational therapeutic methods have been developed for the in vivo inactivation or inhibition of formation (either directly or indirectly) of species which induce the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase, as well as reducing nitric oxide levels produced as a result of .NO synthase expression. In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, magnetic resonance imaging methods have been developed for the measurement of cerebral and cardiac blood flow and infarct volume in ischemic stroke or heart attack situations. Such methods employ iron-containing complexes of a composition comprising a dithiocarbamate and a non-immunogenic, non-targeting macromolecule other than an antibody as contrast agents.

albumin/stroke

Method for the prediction of preeclampsia and other diseases

Compositions and methods utilizing nitroxides in combination with biocompatible macromolecules

Compositions and methods utilizing nitroxides in combination with biocompatible macromolecules

Polydithicarbamate-containing non-targeting marcomolecules and the use thereof for therapeutic and diagnostic applications

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