Abstract: The invention provides a method for reducing oxidative damage in a mammal, a removed organ, or a cell in need thereof. The method comprises administering an effective amount of an aromatic cationic peptide. The aromatic cationic peptide has (a) at least one net positive charge; (b) a minimum of three amino acids; (c) a maximum of about twenty amino acids; (d) a relationship between the minimum number of net positive charges (pm) and the total number of amino acid residues (r) wherein 3pm is the largest number that is less than or equal to r+1; (e) a relationship between the minimum number of aromatic groups (a) and the total number of net positive charges (pt) wherein 3a or 2a is the largest number that is less than or equal to pt+1, except that when a is 1, pt may also be 1; and (f) at least one tyrosine or tryptophan amino acid.

Abstract: An instrument and process for accelerating the solid phase synthesis of peptides is disclosed. The method includes the steps of deprotecting a protected first amino acid linked to a solid phase resin by admixing the protected linked acid with a deprotecting solution in a microwave transparent vessel while irradiating the admixed acid and solution with microwaves, then activating a second amino acid by adding the second acid and an activating solution to the same vessel while irradiating the vessel with microwaves, then coupling the second amino acid to the first acid while irradiating the composition in the same vessel with microwaves, and cleaving the linked peptide from the solid phase resin by admixing the linked peptide with a cleaving composition in the same vessel while irradiating the composition with microwaves.

Abstract: It has been demonstrated that one of Vitamin D Binding Protein (DBP) biological functions is to enhance the chemotactic activity of C5a and C5a des Arg. The present invention has found that peptides having sequences that substantially correspond to a specific region in the N-terminal domain I of DBP can block the DBP enhancement of C5a or C5a des Arg chemotactic activity. Based in this discovery the present invention provides DBP antagonist peptides and the use thereof for the treatment C5a or C5a des Arg-mediated disorders.

Abstract: A method of measuring cellular hemoglobin of a blood sample includes mixing a blood sample with a permeation reagent, and incubating the sample mixture to permeate cellular membrane of red blood cells and to cause hemoglobin aggregation within the cells; adding a neutralization reagent to inhibit further reactions of the permeation reagent; performing a cell-by-cell measurement of side scatter signals of the red blood cells in the sample mixture on a flow cytometer; and obtaining cellular hemoglobin (Hgbcell) of each red blood cell using the obtained side scatter signals. The method further includes measuring cellular hemoglobin of reticulocytes (Hgbretic) by differentiating reticulocytes using a simultaneous fluorescence measurement. The method also includes measuring cellular percentage of a hemoglobin variant in mature red blood cells or reticulocytes by adding a fluorescent antibody in the neutralization reagent and detecting fluorescence signals of antibody bound hemoglobin variant.

Abstract: Cyclosporine derivatives are disclosed which possess enhanced efficacy and reduced toxicity over naturally occurring and other presently known cyclosporins and cyclosporine derivatives. The cyclosporine derivatives of the present invention are produced by chemical and isotopic substitution of the cyclosporine A (CsA) molecule by: (1) Chemical substitution and optionally deuterium substitution of amino acid 1; and (2) deuterium substitution at key sites of metabolism of the cyclosporine A molecule such as amino acids 1, 4, 9. Also disclosed are methods of producing the cyclosporine derivatives and method of producing immunosuppression with reduced toxicity with the disclosed cyclosporine derivatives.

Abstract: The compounds of the present invention are represented by the chemical structure found in Formula I: Formula I where A is an amino acid of Formula II: or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, with R0, R1, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, and K defined herein.

Abstract: The invention relates to nonadepsipeptides and processes for their preparation, and to their use for producing medicaments for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of diseases, in particular bacterial infectious diseases.

Abstract: Trunkamide A and other cycloheptapeptides can be made by solid phase synthesis of a linear precursor.

Abstract: The invention provides synthetic heparin-binding growth factor analogs having at least two different peptide growth factor analog chains, or alternatively two groups of two different peptide chains branched from branch moieties including trifunctional amino acid residues, the two groups separated by a first linker of from 3 to about 20 atoms, which peptide chain or chains bind a heparin-binding growth factor receptor and are covalently bound to a non-signaling peptide that includes a heparin-binding domain by a second linker, which may be a hydrophobic second linker. The synthetic heparin-binding growth factor analogs are useful as pharmaceutical agents, soluble biologics or as surface coatings for medical devices.

Abstract: Methods for the selective conjugation of peptides which comprises an enzymatic incorporation of a functional group at the C-terminal end of a peptide followed by reaction with a second compound comprising the moiety to be conjugated to the peptide, wherein said second compound comprises a functional group which selectively reacts with the incorporated functional group.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to surface functionalization of polymeric fibers. Surface biofunctionalization is achieved by covalent conjugation of biofunctional igands and/or cell growth factors that are crucial for cell attachment, proliferation and functions. Biofunctional fibers could be fabricated into three-dimensional scaffolds. Polymer fibers described here comprise of biocompatible polymers that are either biodegradable ornon-biodegradable. This patent also describes a series of new biodegradable polyphosphoramidates for the processing of biodegradable fibers. Scaffolds made of non-biodegradable functional fibers could be used for in vitro cell culture (for example, ex vivo cell expansion), while biodegradable functional fibers could be fabricated into tissue engineering scaffolds.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides compositions for inhibiting proteases, methods for synthesizing the compositions, and methods of using the disclosed protease inhibitors. Aspects of the disclosure include peptidyl allyl sulfone compositions that inhibit proteases, for example cysteine proteases, either in vivo or in vitro.

Abstract: Cyclosporine derivatives are disclosed which possess enhanced efficacy and reduced toxicity over naturally occurring and other presently known cyclosporins and cyclosporine derivatives. The cyclosporine derivatives of the present invention are produced by chemical and isotopic substitution of the cyclosporine A (CsA) molecule by: (1) Chemical substitution and optionally deuterium substitution of amino acid 1; and (2) deuterium substitution at key sites of metabolism of the cyclosporine A molecule such as amino acids 1, 4, 9. Also disclosed are methods of producing the cyclosporine derivatives and method of producing immunosuppression with reduced toxicity with the disclosed cyclosporine derivatives.

Abstract: The compounds of the present invention are represented by Formula I, as shown below: or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, with X, R0, R1, and R2 defined herein.

Abstract: A method and composition for treating a patient suffering from a disease, disorder or condition and associated pain include the administration to the patient of a therapeutically effective amount of a neurotoxin selected from a group consisting of Botulinum toxin types A, B, C, D, E, F and G.

Abstract: CRF peptide analogs that bind to CRFR1 with an affinity far greater than they bind to CRFR2. These analogs exhibit CRF agonist activity. One exemplary analog that may be made by solid-phase synthesis is (cyclo 31-34)[Ac-Pro4, D-Phe12, Nle21,38, Glu31, Lys34]-r/hCRF(4-41).

Abstract: The invention relates to novel synthetic or natural E4orf4 or Bcl-2 peptides particularly useful in antitumoral, antiviral and antiparasitic treatments, said peptides being less than 30 amino acids long and binding in vitro to a phosphatase 2A protein holoenzyme or one of its subunits. The invention also relates to polynucleotides encoding the novel peptides, vectors expressing same, as well as antibodies identifying same and probes identifying transcripts thereof.

Abstract: YSLPGYMVKKLLGA (SEQ ID NO:1) and its active analogs, compositions, and methods of use.

Abstract: Peptide-amphiphilic compositions capable of self-assembly into useful nanostructures.

Abstract: Compounds represented by formula (1) have strong inhibitory activity that is selective towards HDAC1 and HDAC4. Therefore, the compounds of the present invention are useful as pharmaceutical agents for treating or preventing diseases caused by HDAC1 and HDAC4.