12th Annual Biotechnology Congress (BAC Girona 2018): abstract collection

Background

Fibroblast growth factor 9 (FGF9) is a heparin-binding growth factor, secreted by both mesothelial and epithelial cells, which participates in hair follicle regeneration, wound healing, and bone development. A suitable source of recombinant human FGF9 (rhFGF9) is needed for research into potential clinical applications. We present that expression of oleosin-rhFGF9 fusion protein in safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) seeds stimulates hair growth and wound healing.

Results

The oleosin-rhFGF9 expressed in safflower seeds, in which it localizes to the surface of oil bodies. The expression of oleosin-rhFGF9 was confirmed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and western blotting. According to BCA and Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) assay, the results show that the expression level of oleosin-rhFGF9 was 0.14% of oil body protein. The oil body bound oleosin-rhFGF9 showed mitogenic activity towards NIH3T3 cells in a methylthiazolyldiphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The efficacy of oil body bound oleosin-rhFGF9 in promoting hair growth and wound healing was investigated in C57BL/6 mice. In a hair regeneration experiment, 50 μg/μl oil body bound oleosin-rhFGF9 was applied to the dorsal skin of mice in the resting phase of the hair growth cycle. After 15 days, thicker hair and increased number of new hairs were seen compared with controls. Furthermore, the number of new hairs was greater compared with rhFGF9-treated mice. The hair follicles of mice treated with oil body bound oleosin-rhFGF9 expressed β-catenin more abundantly. In a wound healing experiment, dorsal skin wounds were topically treated with 50 μg/μl oil body bound oleosin-rhFGF9. Wound healing was quicker compared with mice treated with rhFGF9 and controls, especially in the earlier stages of healing.

Conclusions

The oil body bound oleosin-rhFGF9 promotes both hair growth and wound healing. It appears to promote hair growth, at least in part, by up-regulating β-catenin expression. The potential of oil body bound oleosin-rhFGF9 as an external drug can treat the alopecia and wounds or use in further clinical application.

     

新加坡农业生物技术年报（2020）

目前,新加坡国内还没有任何植物生物技术投入商业化生产。截至2020年10月,新加坡共有43种转基因（genetically engineered,GE）植物产品获准用作食品或食品成分。新加坡遗传改良咨询委员会（Genetic Modification Advisory Committee,GMAC）最近修订了关于基因叠加事件的法规,采用“高覆盖低”的方法,对来源于先前GMAC认可的较低阶组合的高阶叠加事件组合豁免监管评估。     

阿根廷农业生物技术年报(2011)

阿根廷仍然是继美国和巴西之后第三大生物技术作物生产国,产量占到全球生物技术作物产量的15%。2011年5月19日,阿根廷政府批准先正达公司研发的转基因玉米MIR162可以进行生产和商业化,该产品在欧洲尚未获批,这一举措代表着阿根廷向着欧盟的“镜子政策”的反方向迈出了一步。为了找到一种承认知识产权的机制,孟山都公司制订了（在种子行业的支持下）与农民签署的私人协议。到目前为止,3 640个农民签署了协议,占到种植总面积的31.5%.     

巴基斯坦农业生物技术年报（2021）

棉花是巴基斯坦唯一批准种植和使用的转基因作物。监管的不明确阻碍了生命科学公司为其他转基因作物寻求获批,但国家生物安全委员会仍在制定转基因食品、饲料和加工品的进口准则。2020年,巴基斯坦进口了大约220万t大豆,其中美国占据了近50%的市场份额。     

8th Annual European Antibody Congress 2012

The 8th European Antibody Congress (EAC), organized by Terrapin Ltd., was again held in Geneva, Switzerland, following on the tradition established with the 4th EAC. The new agenda format for 2012 included three parallel tracks on: (1) naked antibodies; (2) antibody drug conjugates (ADCs); and (3) bispecific antibodies and alternative scaffolds. The meeting started and closed with three plenary lectures to give common background and to share the final panel discussion and conclusions. The two day event included case studies and networking for nearly 250 delegates who learned of the latest advances and trends in the global development of antibody-based therapeutics.

The monoclonal antibody track was focused on understanding the structure-function relationships, optimization of antibody design and developability, and processes that allow better therapeutic candidates to move through the clinic. Discussions on novel target identification and validation were also included. The ADC track was dedicated to evaluation of the ongoing success of the established ADC formats alongside the rise of the next generation drug-conjugates. The bispecific and alternative scaffold track was focused on taking stock of the multitude of bispecific formats being investigated and gaining insight into recent innovations and advancements. Mechanistic understanding, progression into the clinic and the exploration of multispecifics, redirected T cell killing and alternative scaffolds were extensively discussed. In total, nearly 50 speakers provided updates of programs related to antibody research and development on-going in the academic, government and commercial sectors.     

7th Annual European Antibody Congress 2011

The 7th European Antibody Congress (EAC), organized by Terrapin Ltd., was again held in Geneva, Switzerland, following on the tradition established with the 4th EAC. The 2011 version of the EAC was attended by nearly 250 delegates who learned of the latest advances and trends in the global development of antibody-based therapeutics. The first day focused on advances in understanding structure-function relationships, choosing the best format, glycoengineering biobetter antibodies, improving the efficacy and drugability of mAbs and epitope mapping. On the second day, the discovery of novel targets for mAb therapy, clinical pipeline updates, use of antibody combinations to address resistance, generation and identification of mAbs against new targets and biosimilar mAb development were discussed. Antibody-drug conjugates, domain antibodies and new scaffolds and bispecific antibodies were the topics of the third day. In total, nearly 50 speakers provided updates of programs related to antibody research and development on-going in the academic, government and commercial sectors.     

6th Annual European Antibody Congress 2010

The 6^th European Antibody Congress (EAC), organized by Terrapinn Ltd., was held in Geneva, Switzerland, which was also the location of the 4^th and 5^th EAC.1 Beck A, Hanala S, Reichert JM. 4^th European Antibody Congress 2008: December 1–3, 2008. mAbs 2009; 1:Switzerland Geneva 93 - 103  ,2 Beck A, Reichert JM, Wurch T. 5^th European Antibody Congress 2009: November 30–December 2, 2009. mAbs 2010; 2:108 - 128   As was the case in 2008 and 2009, the EAC was again the largest antibody congress held in Europe, drawing nearly 250 delegates in 2010. Numerous pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies active in the field of therapeutic antibody development were represented, as were start-up and academic organizations and representatives from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The global trends in antibody research and development were discussed, including success stories of recent marketing authorizations of golimumab (Simponi^®) and canakinumab (Ilaris^®) by Johnson & Johnson and Novartis, respectively, updates on antibodies in late clinical development (obinutuzumab/GA101, farletuzumab/MORAb-003 and itolizumab/T1 h, by Glycart/Roche, Morphotek and Biocon, respectively) and success rates for this fast-expanding class of therapeutics (Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development). Case studies covering clinical progress of girentuximab (Wilex), evaluation of panobacumab (Kenta Biotech), characterization of therapeutic antibody candidates by protein microarrays (Protagen), antibody-drug conjugates (sanofi-aventis, ImmunoGen, Seattle Genetics, Wyeth/Pfizer), radio-immunoconjugates (Bayer Schering Pharma, Université de Nantes) and new scaffolds (Ablynx, AdAlta, Domantis/GlaxoSmithKline, Fresenius, Molecular Partners, Pieris, Scil Proteins, Pfizer, University of Zurich) were presented. Major antibody structural improvements were showcased, including the latest selection engineering of the best isotypes (Abbott, Pfizer, Pierre Fabre), hinge domain (Pierre Fabre), dual antibodies (Abbott), IgG-like bispecific antibodies (Biogen Idec), antibody epitope mapping case studies (Eli Lilly), insights in FcγRII receptor (University of Cambridge), as well as novel tools for antibody fragmentation (Genovis). Improvements of antibody druggability (Abbott, Bayer, Pierre Fabre, Merrimack, Pfizer), enhancing IgG pharmacokinetics (Abbott, Chugai), progress in manufacturing (Genmab, Icosagen Cell Factory, Lonza, Pierre Fabre) and the development of biosimilar antibodies (Biocon, Sandoz, Triskel) were also discussed. Last but not least, identification of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against new therapeutic targets (Genentech, Genmab, Imclone/Lilly, Vaccinex) including Notch, cMet, TGFβRII, SEMA4D, novel development in immunotherapy and prophylaxis against influenza (Crucell), anti-tumor activity of immunostimulatory antibodies (MedImmune/Astra Zeneca) and translations to clinical studies including immunogenicity issues (Amgen, Novartis, University of Debrecen) were presented.     

13th International Congress of Biochemistry

Cytochrome caa₃ (cytochrome oxidase) from the thermophilic bacterium PS3 can exhibit full catalytic activity in the presence of ascorbate and TMPD or other electron donors and in the absence of added soluble c-type cytochromes. It appears to possess only a low-affinity and not a high-affinity site for the soluble cytochromes. Proteoliposomal cytochrome caa₃ develops an effective membrane potential in the presence of ascorbate and TMPD or PMS, in the absence of added soluble cytochrome c. Reduction of the a₃ centre is blocked in the presence of cyanide. During reductive titrations of the cyanide-inhibited enzyme, electrons initially equilibrate among three centres, the c haem, the a haem and one of the associated Cu atoms. During steady-state turnover, electrons probably enter the complex via the bound c haem; the a haem and perhaps an associated Cu_A atom are reduced next. It is concluded that, despite its size and hydrophobic association with the aa₃ complex, the haem c-containing subunit can behave in an analogous way to that of mammalian cytochrome c, bound at the high-affinity site of the eucaryotic enzyme.     

第十三届国际光生物学大会简介

第十三届国际光生物学大会 (１３Ｔｈ ＩｎｔｅｒｎａｔｉｏｎａｌＣｏｎｇｒｅｓｓｏｎＰｈｏｔｏｂｉｏｌｏｇｙ)由国际光生物学协会 (ＡｓｓｏｃｉａｔｉｏｎＩｎｔｅｒｎａｔｉｏｎａｌｅｄｅＰｈｏｔｏｂｉｏｌｏｇｉｅ,ＡＩＰ)主办 ,美国光生物学会承办 ,日本、韩国、欧洲光生物学会协办 ,于２０００年７月１ -６日在旧金山举行。会议有１０００多位科学家参加 ,全面介绍了光生物学各个学科的进展 ,及其在医学、环境、农业等领域的应用。会议共安排了１０个大会报告 ,组织了５５个专题会议 ,安排１４场口头发言 ,３个时间段的墙报展…