Abstract: Drug delivery conjugates of including a BAL C-tail peptide including all or a portion of the carboxy terminal region of human bile salt-activated lipase (BAL) conjugated to a biologically active substance are described. The C-tail peptide-drug conjugates, when orally ingested, compete with native BAL in binding to the intestinal surface, and, as a result, permit drug compositions to be delivered specifically to the intestine. Useful C-tail peptides are derivatives of the carboxy terminal region of BAL derived from all or portion of the region containing amino acid residues 539 to 722, and have a mucin-like structure containing at least three of the repeating proline-rich units of eleven amino acid residues each.

Abstract: Compositions including all or a portion and chemically or recombinantly synthesized analogues of the carboxy terminal region of bile salt-activated lipase (BAL) are described, which, when orally ingested, compete with native BAL in binding to the intestinal surface and thus reduce the amount of cholesterol taken into the blood stream.

Abstract: Compositions derived from all or a portion of the carboxy terminal region of human bile salt-activated lipase (BAL) are described, which, when orally ingested, compete with native BAL in binding to the intestinal surface, thus reducing the physiological role of BAL in mediating the transfer of cholesterol into the intestinal cells, and, as a result, reducing the amount of cholesterol absorbed from the intestine into the blood stream. Useful derivatives of the carboxy terminal region of BAL are derived from all or portion of the region containing amino acid residues 539 to 722, and have a mucin-like structure containing at least three of the repeating proline-rich units of eleven amino acid residues each.

Abstract: The complete structure of human milk BAL cDNA is disclosed. The nucleotide sequences of the cDNA inserts of two clones overlap and together contain 2951 base pairs of BAL cDNA which codes for an open reading frame of 742 amino acid residues between initiation and termination codons. There is a putative signal sequence of 20 residues which is followed by a 61-amino-terminal sequence of BAL. The cDNA sequence also contains a 678-base 5'-untranslated sequence, a 97-base 3'-untranslated region, and a 14-base poly(A) tail. The deduced BAL protein structure contains in the carboxyl-terminal region fourteen repeating unis of 11 amino acids each. The repeating units have the basic structure of Pro-Val-Pro-Pro-Thr-Gly-Asp-Ser-Gly-Ala-Pro-, with only minor substitutions.

Abstract: Dietary compositions, especially cow's milk-based infant formulas, are fortified with bile salt-activated lipase. Methods are provided for feeding newborn and premature infants which include administration of bile salt-activated lipase to increase fat digestion and therefore growth rate. Similarly, a method is provided to treat subjects for inadequate pancreatic enzyme production by administration of bile salt-activated lipase in conjunction with ingestion of fats.