Abstract: A (injectable biologically active) polypeptide is stabilized by dissolving said polypeptide forming a liquid solution in citrate buffer of about pH 5.0-5.5.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of manufacturing pulmonary surfactant protein by solubilizing the protein in ethanol by treatment with a fluorinated alcohol so that the protein may be formulated into liposomes by ethanolic injection.

Abstract: A water-soluble polypeptide having the characteristics of the bacteriorhodopsin C helix such that it is largely hydrophobic and spontaneously inserts into a biological membrane as an alpha-helix. The polypeptide is administered as an aqueous solution or is contained within the lipid bilayer of a liposome. The polypeptide is modified so that it will interfere with the helix--helix interactions within the membranes of adverse cells or is coupled to a therapeutic substance, such as a protein or pharmaceutical compound, for transmission thereof through the membrane and into the cell.

Abstract: Methods and compositions useful for protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) are disclosed. Peptides are provided which, in one aspect, are useful as substrates for the determination of PTP activity. In contrast to the current approaches, such peptides provide a general substrate for which variations in PTP enzymatic activity due to the assay are minimized. The present invention also discloses methods for determining the presence or amount of PTP. Because of the increased sensitivity of the methods, PTPs can be detected in situations where only limiting amounts of sample, e.g., tissue extracts or immunoprecipitates, are available.

Abstract: An acid-labile protein is described that, when incubated with the 53-Kd acid-stable protein occupied by IGF, converts it to a high molecular weight complex, corresponding to the in vivo form of IGF. This protein is called the acid-labile subunit (ALS) of IGF binding protein complex and is provided in biologically pure form. ALS is useful in treating wounds and promoting cellular growth. The nucleic acid encoding ALS, antibodies binding thereto, and fragments thereof are also disclosed.

Abstract: Polypeptides are provided that have a sequence of at least about four amino acids corresponding substantially to an amino acid sequence within the triple-helical domain of Type I collagen. The polypeptides promote cell adhesion and/or cell migration. Cell culture substrates coated with the polypeptides are also provided. Prosthetic devices and methods for identifying and distinguishing cells of different types are also provided.

Abstract: Linear peptide analogs of bombesin with modified amino acid residues at various positions. A peptide of a group of bombesin analogs according to this invention contains either a --CH.sub.2 NH.sub.2 -- pseudopeptide bond, a (3S,4S)-4-amino-3-hydroxy- 6-methylheptanoic acid residue, or a (3S,4S)-4-amino-3- hydroxy-5-phenylpentanoic acid residue.

Abstract: Analogs of angiotensin II are useful in accelerating wound healing. These analogs form the basis of compositions useful for accelerating wound healing, in which the active agent is present in an amount effective to accelerate wound healing. Preferably, the compositions are in the form of matrical or micellar solutions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method to determine the amount of ASP protein, a functional derivative or a functional fragment thereof in a plasma sample, wherein the ASP protein comprises the following amino acid sequence: ##STR1## wherein the functional derivative comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of one or more amino acid substitution, one or more amino acid deletion and one or more amino acid addition with the proviso that the functional derivative has a biological activity functionally equivalent to ASP, and the functional fragment comprises part of the ASP amino acid sequence and has a biological activity functionally equivalent to ASP; the method comprises the steps of: a) eluting the plasma sample on a column; b) measuring the amount of the ASP protein, functional derivative or functional fragment thereof present in said sample by an immunoassay with antibodies specific against one or more sites on C3a.

Abstract: Linear and Cyclic Alpha-MSH fragment analogues of Ac-Nle.sup.4 -Glu.sup.5 -His.sup.6 -D-Phe.sup.7 -Arg.sup.8 -Try.sup.9 -Gly.sup.10 -NH.sub.2. The method of stimulating melanocytes by the transdermal application of these biologically-active analogues and compositions comprising these analogues for use in the method are disclosed.

Abstract: A novel polypeptide sequence having the formula ##STR1## in which A.sub.1 is a hydrogen or at least one and no more than two amino acids selected from the group consisting of lysine and arginine,A.sub.2 is a tyrosine, phenylalanine or tryptophan residue,A.sub.3 is an arginine or lysine residue,A.sub.4 is at least one and no more than two amino acids selected from the group consisting of lysine and arginine, andA.sub.5 is an --OH or an NH.sub.2, is described.The polypeptide may be used in a pharmaceutical composition as an antimicrobial or antiviral agent, specifically as an anti-HIV agent.

Abstract: A class of compounds is described for use as fluorogenic substrates for herpesvirus proteases and for use in an assay to identify inhibitors of herpesvirus proteases. ##STR1## wherein W is selected from glycine, 4-aminobutyric acid, 5-aminopentanoic acid, 6-aminocaproic acid and 7-aminoheptanoic acid; wherein Y is selected from EDANS, Abz, DANSYL, nicotinic acid, 4-guanidino-benzoic acid, N-methyl-Abz, 4-chloro-Abz, 5-chloro-Abz, 6-chloro-Abz, 3,5-dibromo-Abz, 6-amino-nicotinic acid, 2-amino-nicotinic acid, 2-chloronicotinic acid, niflumic acid and fluorogenic derivatives thereof; and wherein Z is selected from tryptophan, tyrosine, phenylalanine, p-nitrophenylalanine, m-nitrophenylalanine, DABSYL, DABCYL and halogenated derivatives thereof.

Abstract: Certain toxic compounds (T) such as, for example, compounds based upon diphtheria toxin, ricin toxin, pseudomonas exotoxin, .alpha.-amanitin, pokeweed antiviral protein (PAP), ribosome inhibiting proteins, especially the ribosome inhibiting proteins of barley, wheat, corn, rye, gelonin and abrin, as well as certain cytotoxic chemicals such as, for example, melphalan and daunomycin can be conjugated to certain analogs of gonadotropin-releasing hormone to form a class of compounds which, when injected into an animal, destroy the gonadotrophs of the animal's anterior pituitary gland. Hence such compounds may be used to sterilize such animals and/or to treat certain sex hormone related diseases.

Abstract: This invention discloses a method for chemically modifying a pulmonary surfactant protein or polypeptides with various fatty acids. These conjugates are useful in preparing formulations for the treatment of respiratory disease.

Abstract: The invention provides isolated, biologically active native calcitonin mimetics and related methods. These small 16 and 17 amino acid proteins mimic the interaction of calcitonin on its receptor, and also exhibit bone resorptive inhibiting activity.

Abstract: High-affinity response-selective C-terminal analogs of C5a anaphylatoxin are provided. Whereas natural C5a has considerable flexibility in the C-terminal region, the analogs of the invention possess a backbone conformation which is constrained at the C-terminus to a .beta.-turn. The stabilized .beta.-turn confers a marked increase in in potency of the analogs; the particular .beta.-turn motif further confers the capability to selectively elicit certain biological responses associated with C5a. Exemplary compounds of the invention are decapeptide analogs of the formula: A1-Ser-Phe-Lys-A2-A3-A4-A5-A6-A7, with the constrained .beta.-turn being localized in the region of A4-A7.

Abstract: A process for preparing a polypeptide compound having antimicrobial activities of the following general formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 is hydrogenR.sup.2 is acyl group,R.sup.3 is hydroxy or acyloxy,R.sup.4 is hydroxy or hydroxysulfonyloxy,R.sup.5 is hydrogen or lower alkyl which may have one or more suitable substituent(s), andR.sup.6 is hydrogen, hydroxy or acyl (lower) alkylthio anda pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

Abstract: A method for administering a therapeutically effective amount of a biologically active substance to the circulatory system of a mammal including administering a pharmaceutical composition having a total volume of 1-1000 .mu.l to a nasal mucosal membrane of the mammal, the pharmaceutical composition including the therapeutically effective amount of the biologically active substance dissolved or suspended in a volume of 1-1000 .mu.l of an n-ethylene glycol containing vehicle including at least one n-ethylene glycol represented by the formula:H(OCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2).sub.p OHwherein p is from 1 to 8, so that upon administration of the pharmaceutical composition to the nasal mucosal membrane, absorption of the biologically active substance through the mucosal membrane and into the blood stream of the mammal rapidly takes place and thereby allows the biologically active substance to exert its therapeutic effect.

Abstract: The present invention provides anti-obesity proteins, which when administered to a patient regulate fat tissue. Accordingly, such agents allow patients to overcome their obesity handicap and live normal lives with much reduced risk for type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Abstract: The invention relates to muramyleptide derivatives resulting essentially from the conjugation or the coupling, as the case may require, through an arm, between a muramylpeptide and a group containing two atoms contiguous with one another to each of which is attached a lipophile chain comprising from 8 to 100 carbon atoms, preferably from 14 to 24 carbon atoms. The derivatives according to the invention are endowed with remarkable stimulating properties with respect to the activation of macrophages, of which they amplify the tumoricidal properties.