Khue Ngoc Nguyen, Age 665910 Arizona Dr, Vancouver, WA 98661

6924102, Aug 2, 2005

Aug 24, 2001

09/938013

Khue Vu Nguyen - San Diego CA, US
Charles-Michel Wolff - Strasbourg, FR
Philippe Poindron - Plobsheim, FR

C07H021/04
C12Q001/68

435 6, 435 911, 435 912, 536 231, 536 243, 536 266

The present invention concerns the development of a quantitative method for the molecular diagnosis of autosomal recessive spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) by measuring the amount of cytosolic mRNA from human muscle cells. Both the procedure using radioactive material and the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) nonradioactive method were developed using P-dCTP labeled and biotinylated nucleotide probes. The results obtained demonstrate that the measurement of mRNA could be used as a quantitative method for the molecular diagnosis of SMA. There was a perfect concordance of the results obtained between the procedure using radioactive material, the ELISA method and the single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis regarding the negative and positive SMA samples. The methods developed in this study may be applicable to the diagnosis (detection of homozygous and heterozygous deletions in exons 7 and 8 of the SMN gene) and the control of mRNA concentrations in the future gene therapy of patients with SMA.

7101966, Sep 5, 2006

Sep 21, 2004

10/945402

Khue Vu Nguyen - San Diego CA, US

Vista Biologicals Corporation - Carlsbad CA

C07K 7/08
C07K 17/00
C12Q 1/70
G01N 33/68

530327, 435 5, 435DIG 35, 436 86, 502 7, 530810

Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcNPV) is a baculovirus widely employed as a vector for the expression of foreign genes and pest control. Although baculoviruses efficiently replicate in the nuclei of arthropod cells, the dynamics and mechanism of DNA replication within the infected cell are still poorly understood. Thus, to study such viral DNA replication, the availability of peptide ligands specific for DNA-binding protein (DBP) is needed. This work resulted in the selection of peptide ligands specifically binding to DBP for AcNPV from the FliTrx™ random peptide display library, which entails the amplification, cloning of the DBP gene from AcNPV, the construction of the expression plasinid for DBP, and the expression and purification of the recombinant His. Tag AcNPV DBP which was used as a target molecule for the selection of the peptide ligands. The affinity of peptide ligands was measured by ELISA procedures.

7303882, Dec 4, 2007

Sep 26, 2005

11/234717

Khue Vu Nguyen - San Diego CA, US

Vista Biologicals Corporation - Carlsbad CA

C12Q 1/68

435 6, 435 911, 435 912

To maximize the yield of protein from a baculovirus system, optimal infection of the host cell culture must be achieved; in order to obtain such optimal infection, the titer of the virus inoculation must be known. The present invention is the development of a simple, rapid, and universally applicable titration method that involves the direct detection of the viral DBP gene derived from AcNPV (AcNPV DBP) as a target for quantitative titer determination of baculovirus and the use of biotin specific probes directed to viral DBP gene. The procedure entails the amplification of the AcNPV DBP gene by using the PCR technique in the presence of digoxigenin-11-dUTP from the negative control (non-infected) and infected samples, and the synthesis of the specific biotin label nucleotide probes directed to the AcNPV DBP gene. These specific probes are then used in the Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) using the immobilized streptavidin on polystyrene microtitration plates for the quantitative determination of baculovirus titer. The plot of O. D.

7427483, Sep 23, 2008

Feb 24, 2006

11/307852

Khue Vu Nguyen - Carlsbad CA, US

Vista Biologicals Corporation - Carlsbad CA

C12Q 1/68
C12P 19/34
G01N 33/00
C07H 21/04

435 6, 435 792, 435 912, 435 9152, 536 237, 536 2432, 536 2433

The present invention is the development of a simple and specific quantitative method for the determination of DNA in malaria that involves the direct detection of the highly 42-kDa conserved C-terminal region of merozoite surface protein (MSP1) gene. This procedure entails the amplification of the 42-kDa C-terminal region of the MSP1 gene by using the PCR technique in the presence of digoxigenin-11-dUTP and the synthesis of the specific biotin labeled nucleotide probes directed to the 42-kDa C-terminal region of the MSP1 gene. These specific probes are then used in the Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) for the quantitative determination of the 42-kDa C-terminal region of the MSP1 gene which leads to the quantitative determination of DNA in malaria for quantitative diagnostic purpose as well as for monitoring the efficacy of antimalarial treatment.

2002016, Nov 7, 2002

May 4, 2001

09/848667

Khue Nguyen - San Diego CA, US

A61K038/16

514/002000

Beta-amyloid peptide (A) is a major fibrillar component of neuritic plaques in Alzheimer's disease (AD) brains and is related to the pathogenesis of the disease. The present invention provides a method using Poly--Lysine to dissolve preformed A fibrils in vitro. Its efficiency is instantaneous. Poly--Lysine offers the simplest and most effective way to dissolve preformed A fibrils. The method of this present invention can be used as a universal dissolver of all types of oligomeric -sheet conformation, precursor of the fibrils. Poly--Lysine may also be useful as a future universal therapeutic agent to prevent and/or retard amyloidogenesis in vivo AD and other types of amyloid related disorders.

2006008, Apr 27, 2006

Feb 13, 2004

10/777691

Khue Vu Nguyen - San Diego CA, US

C12Q 1/68
C12P 19/34
C12N 15/87

435006000, 435091200, 435455000

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a lethal autosomal recessive disease. The gene most highly associated with SMA is the survival motor neuron (SMN) gene. The present invention is a new procedure for the cloning of human SMN, the SMA determining gene, based on the reverse transcription (RT) and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). This procedure for cloning human SMN gene by means of RT-PCR reactions is cost-effective, not time-consuming, and is suited for any laboratory. The present invention also includes a new procedure for the construction of expression plasmids, a/ using the pFastBac™ HTb and the pBlueBacHis2 A transfer vectors for the purpose of obtaining human SMN protein in insect cells; and b/ using the pET-28a (+) transfer vector for the purpose of obtaining human SMN protein in bacteria. The present invention makes it easier to obtain full-length SMN protein which is valuable for biochemical and biological analyses that may elucidate the molecular mechanism of SMA. Knowing the molecular mechanism of SMA will allow the exploration of gene therapy in SMA.

2006008, Apr 27, 2006

Feb 13, 2004

10/777592

Khue Vu Nguyen - San Diego CA, US

C12P 21/06
C12P 19/34
C12N 15/74

435069100, 435091200, 435473000

Beta-amyloid peptide (βA) is a major fibrillar component of neuritic plaques in Alzheimer's disease brains and is related to the pathogenesis of the disease. βA generation depends on proteolytic cleavage of the amyloid precursor protein (APP). The present invention is a new procedure for the cloning of human βA precursor protein gene (human APP gene) based on the reverse transcription (RT) and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). This procedure for cloning human APP gene by means of RT-PCR reactions is cost-effective, not time-consuming, and is suited for any laboratory. The present invention also includes a new procedure for the construction of expression plasmids, a/ using the pFastBac™ HTb and the pBlueBacHis2 A transfer vectors for the purpose of obtaining human APP in insect cells; and b/ using the pET-28a (+) transfer vector for the purpose of obtaining human APP in bacteria. The present invention makes it easier to obtain full-length APP which is essential for the identification of biological activities that occur in the APP molecule and for the identification of proteases capable of creating βA. Knowing which protease creates βA is important for the exploration of therapeutic and preventative strategies for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.