Inventors:
Jin S. Lee - Houston TX
Mark Blick - Houston TX
Assignee:
Board of Regents, The University of Texas System - Austin TX
International Classification:
A61K 3700, A61K 3702, C07K 500, C07K 700
Abstract:
A biologically active cyclic synthetic peptide analog having an amino acid sequence similar to that of native epidermal growth factor between amino acids 32-48 is revealed. The peptide has been found to mimic certain biological activities of intact native epidermal growth factor (EGF). The EGF peptide analogs of the present invention include at least one sulfhydryl bond between two cysteines of the peptide containing block termini. The peptides comprise the end of the B-loop and the C-loop characteristic of the native form of the epidermal growth factor peptide. The biological activity of the peptide provides for methods of using the peptide as an agent in wound healing and also in cancer therapy. More particularly, the described peptides are used in cancer therapeutic applications and in the promotion of wound healing, especially burn wounds and peptic ulcer disease. Methods of preparing and using the described bioactive EGF analog peptides are also disclosed.