Institut Pasteur

Centre National De La Recherche Scientifique

Instituto Gulbekian De Cienca

Instituto Gulbenkian De Cienca

Instituto Gulbenkian De Ciencia

Instituto De Ciencias Abel Salazar

Evelyne Dufour

Jean-Francois Huaulme

Anne Wisner

Catherine Rougeot

Marie-Noelle Ungeheuer

Francois Rougeon

Mario Arala-Chaves

Alain Cosson

Antonio Coutinho

Bernardo Reina San Martin

Wim Degrave

Paola Minoprio

François Rougeon

Paolo Minoprio

Sara Isabel Mansinho Fernandes De Almeida, Legal Representative

Eduarda Maria Santos Dores Arala Chaves, Legal Representative

Tony Marcel

Wim DeGrave

Rui Mario Dores Arala Chaves, Legal Representative

Fran&ccedil;ois Rougeon

Marie-Noëlle Ungeheuer

Jean-François Huaulme

Jean-Fançois Huaulme

Eduarda Maria Santos Dores Arala-Chaves

The invention relates to an in vitro method for prognosis, diagnosis or determination of the evolution of a condition involving an altered production of Basic Proline-rich Lacrimal Protein (BPLP) or of any of its maturation products, by detecting, or quantifying in a biological sample of a test subject, a BPLP protein or a maturation product thereof, and comparing the production of BPLP protein or maturation product with the production of the same in a biological sample of a control subject.

Pharmaceutical compositions containing peptides derived from human BPLP protein

Methods for treating pain by administering peptides derived from human basic proline-rich lacrimal protein

The present invention relates to modified opiorphin peptides as new inhibitors of metallo-ectopeptidases.

Opiorphin peptide derivatives as potent inhibitors of enkephalin-degrading ectopeptidases

Method for detecting human BPLP protein or a maturation product thereof

A method of preventing or inhibiting infection by a parasite or virus in vivo comprising administering to a human in need thereof a parasite or virus mitogen in a sub-mitogenic amount sufficient to induce a protective immune response against the parasite or virus in the human.

Cloning, sequencing and expression of a gene encoding an eukaryotic amino acid racemase, and diagnostic, therapeutic, and vaccination applications of parasite and viral mitogens

The invention relates to a peptide that is a maturation product of the Basic Prolin-rich Lacrinal Protein (BPLP) or a peptide derivative of said maturation product, wherein the peptide or peptide derivative exhibits an inhibitory property against a metallo-ectopeptidase, especially NEP and/or APN. The present invention also relates to polynucleotides coding for said peptides and to antibodies directed against said peptides. Furthermore, the present invention relates to diagnostic and therapeutic uses of human BPLP protein and inhibitory peptides derived therefrom, polypeptides coding for human BPLP protein or peptides derived therefrom as well as antibodies directed against BPLP protein or peptides derived therefrom.

Peptides derived from human BPLP protein

A method of preventing or inhibiting infection by a parasite or virus in vivo comprising administering to a human in need thereof a parasite or virus mitogen, such as a eukaryotic amino acid racemase, in a sub-mitogenic amount sufficient to induce a protective immune response against the parasite or virus in the human.

A process for screening for a ligand molecule that possesses an agonist biological activity on the NEP binding site for an SMR1 peptide, such as the QHNPR (SEQ ID NO: 2) pentapeptide. The method comprises preparing a cell culture or preparing an organ specimen or a tissue sample containing NEP binding sites for an SMR1 peptide, incubating the cell culture, organ specimen or tissue sample of at concentrations allowing measurement of NEP enzymatic activity under initial velocity conditions in the presence of a candidate ligand molecule, a half-saturating concentration of an SMR1 peptide, and a NEP substrate during a time sufficient for the hydrolysis activity of the NEP substrate to take place under initial velocity conditions; and quantifying the activity of the NEP present in the biological material of by measuring the levels of NEP substrate hydrolysis, respectively in the presence or in the absence of the ligand molecule and in the presence or in the absence of the SMR1 peptide.

Process for identifying a ligand that binds to the NEP binding site for the SMR1 pentapeptide

The present invention pertains to the use of a peptide molecule consisting in a maturation product of SMR1 (Submandibular rat protein 1) of structural formula QHNPR, as well as the biologically active derivatives of the said peptide, for preventing or treating diseases associated with a mineral ion imbalance in a human or an animal body. More particularly, the present invention relates to the therapeutic use of the above-cited molecules for preventing or treating an hydro-mineral imbalance in organs and tissues such as kidney, bone, dental enamel, dental ivory, gut matrix, pancreas or glandular gastric mucosa. This invention also deals with therapeutic compositions comprising a pharmaceutically active amount of the above-described therapeutic molecules as well as with therapeutic methods using the said therapeutic compositions. Finally, the present invention relates to processes for selecting ligand molecules that possess an agonist or an antagonist biological activity on the target receptor of the QHNPR pentapeptide as well as to the selected ligand molecules themselves.

Therapeutic use of the SMR1 protein and active derivatives thereof

This invention relates to the use of an agent that modulates the interaction between a SMR1 peptide and a metal-lopeptidase for the preparation of a medicament for preventing or treating a Central Nervous System disorder giving rise to a mental disorder.

Treatment of mood disorders by administration of SMR1

The invention relates to the field of psychopharmacology. More particularly, the invention relates to the treatment of mental disorders, such as impaired interpersonal and behavioral disorders, including sexual disorders such as M.E.D. and H.S.D.D. The invention provides new therapeutic compositions and methods for treating mental disorders, including M.E.D. and H.S.D.D. The compositions and methods according to the invention provide improved awareness and alertness to environment, improved adaptation to environment and ability to sustain attention, and increased interest in environment and capacity for arousal, without increased aggressiveness.

Therapeutic methods and compositions for the treatment of impaired interpersonal and behavioral disorders

A method for treating or reducing the severity of a disease or disorder mediated by a membrane metallopeptidase by administering to a mammal a SMR1-peptide or a pharmaceutically active amount of a SMR1-peptide.

Therapeutic uses of SMR1 peptides

Growing community of inventors

Chevreuse, France

Catherine Rougeot