Abstract: The invention includes compositions comprising substantially purified pyrroloquinoline quinone, that are useful in methods for the treatment and prevention of cardiac injury caused by hypoxia or ischemia. The invention also includes methods for the treatment and prevention of cardiac injury comprising contacting a composition of the invention with a human patient.

Abstract: The subject invention addresses the need for methods of treatment and prevention of breast cancer, and other cancers, by providing a peptide of eight to twenty amino acids in length which comprises a hydrophilic analog of an alpha-fetoprotein peptide having SEQ ID NO:6: EMTPVNPG. The peptides may be linear, but are preferably cyclic. The peptides may be provided as dimers or other multimers. A composition comprising the peptide, an antibody that specifically binds to the peptide, a method of reducing estrogen-stimulated growth of cells using the peptide, as well as a method of treating or preventing cancer, such as breast cancer, are also provided. The treatment or prevention method can include the use of tamoxifen therapy in combination with the peptide therapy.

Abstract: Therapeutic compounds which are cell proliferation modulators, preferably inhibitors. These modulators contain amino acid structures that are arranged as a hydrophilic analog of an alpha-fetoprotein. The modulator may be a peptide itself, e.g., an octapeptide like that of SEQ ID NO: 5; a peptidomimetic; or may be in the form of a pharmaceutically acceptable scaffold, such as a polycyclic hydrocarbon to which is attached the necessary amino acid structures for biological and/or chemical activity. The modulators of the invention are distinguished in one aspect over previous compounds in that they are orally active, and therefore do not have to be injected into the patient. The compositions and methods are useful for reducing estrogen-stimulated growth of cells, and treating or preventing cancer, such as breast cancer. The treatment or prevention methods can include the use of tamoxifen therapy in combination with the peptide therapy.

Abstract: Methods for identifying modulators of fatty acid transport and/or uptake, comprising contacting, under conditions favorable for fatty acid uptake, a putative modulator, e.g., an inhibitor with a system comprising genetic material encoding a fatty acid transport mediator (“TTM”), particularly FAA1, FAA2, FAA3, FAA4, FAT1, fadL, fadD, FATP, CD36 and FABP, or orthologs, homologs, isoforms, variants, analogs, derivatives or fragments thereof, and combinations thereof, or fatty acid transport mediator proteins (“TTMps”), e.g., Faa1p, Faa2p, Faa3p, Faa4p, Fat1p, FadL, fatty acyl CoA synthetase, FATP, CD36 and FABP, or orthologs, homologs, isoforms, variants, analogs, derivatives or fragments thereof, and combinations thereof, and determining the effect of the putative modulator. The test system may be a cell such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, E. coli, H. sapiens, etc. or an in vitro system.

Abstract: The subject invention addresses the need for methods of treatment and prevention of breast cancer, and other cancers, by providing a peptide of eight to twenty amino acids in length which comprises a hydrophilic analog of an alpha-fetoprotein peptide having SEQ ID NO: 6: EMTPVNPG. The peptides may be linear, but are preferably cyclic. The peptides may be provided as dimers or other multimers. A composition comprising the peptide, an antibody that specifically binds to the peptide, a method of reducing estrogen-stimulated growth of cells using the peptide, as well as a method of treating or preventing cancer, such as breast cancer, are also provided. The treatment or prevention method can include the use of tamoxifen therapy in combination with the peptide therapy.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and compositions containing novel leptin peptides, preferably for the modulation of body mass (i.e., weight), more specifically for novel diagnostic and therapeutic applications in homeostasis of body weight and adipose tissue mass.