New York University

American Biosciences, Inc.

The United States of America As Represented by the Secretary of

The United States of America As Represented by the Department of Health

National Institutes of Health

Hao-Chia Chen

Paul L Huang

Sylvia Lee-Huang

Philip L Huang

Peter Huang

Hsiang-fu Kung

Henry I Huang

Peter L Nara

Charng-Ming Huang

John L Morell

Tommaso Costa

David Rodbard

Judith H Brown

Y Shimohigashi

A new protein, termed TAP 29, obtainable from the root tuber of the plant Trichosanthes kirilowii or produced by recombinant means is useful for treating HIV infections or tumors. In treating HIV infections, the protein is administered alone or in conjunction with conventional AIDS therapies. Also provided are processes for purifying the protein, DNA sequences encoding the protein, hosts expressing the protein, recombinant DNA methods for expressing the protein, and antibodies specific for the protein.

Anti-HIV protein, TAP 29, from tricosanthes, DNA coding therefor and

A protein, in particular MAP 30, obtainable from both the fruit and seeds of Momordica charantia or produced by recombinant means useful for treating tumors and HIV infections is disclosed. In treating HIV infections, the protein is administered alone or in conjunction with conventional AIDS therapies. Also provided are processes for purifying the protein, DNA sequences encoding the protein, and recombinant DNA methods for expressing the protein.

Plant protein useful for treating tumors and HIV infection

New proteins, termed GAP 31, obtainable from the seeds of Gelonium multiflorum, and DAP 30 and DAP 32, obtainable from the leaves or seeds of Dianthus caryophyllus, or the above proteins produced by recombinant means, are useful for treating HIV infections. In treating HIV infections, the protein is administered alone or in conjunction with other anti-HIV therapeutics. Also provided are processes for purifying the proteins, DNA sequences encoding the proteins, hosts expressing the proteins, recombinant DNA methods for expressing the proteins, and antibodies specific for the proteins.

Anti-HIV proteins GAP 31, DAP 30 and DAP 32 and therapeutic uses thereof

Peptides which exhibit improved broad spectrum antimicrobial activity are designed and synthesized based on the peptide sequences of magainin or PGS peptides. The modified peptide analogues are synthesized by replacing low helical potential amino acid residues with high helical potential residues and modifying the two termini in order to enhance the amphiphilic structures as well as to prolong antimicrobial activity by lowering their susceptibility to protease degradation. For example, low propensity residues within a strategic region of magainin II, e.g. Ser.sup.8, Gly.sup.13 and Gly.sup.18 are modified with Ala which is known to have high propensity. Amidation of Ser.sup.23, and acylation of Gly.sup.1 with acetyl or beta-alanyl and substitution of Gly.sup.1 with beta-alanine are carried out in order to lower the susceptibility to exopeptidase action. A D-Ala modification for disrupting a stretch of the helical structure is also prepared so as to demonstrate the importance of an amphiphilic helical structure for antimicrobial activity. The modified peptide analogues exhibit an increase of up to two orders of magnitude in antimicrobial activity and, in the most favorable case, no appreciable increase in hemolytic activity over magainin 1.

Antimicrobial magainin modified peptides

The compounds of the invention are symmetrical dimers of enkephalin polypeptides comprising enkephalin polypeptide monomers linked at the C-termini thereof with a difunctional amino bridging group. The compounds are useful as investigative tools for probing the opiate receptor membranes, particularly as radiolabelled ligands for exploring the delta opiate receptor, and also have particular use as narcotic and/or analgesic agents.

Dimeric enkephalins

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Potomac, MD, United States of America

Hao-Chia Chen