Cornell Research Foundation Inc.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Jay M Edelberg

Shahin Rafii

Mun K Hong

Robert P Lanza

Michael D West

Robert D Rosenberg

Monty Krieger

Barbara L Hempstead

David Jon Christini

Munira Xaymardan

Bernardo Trigatti

Dong Qing Cai

The present invention relates to peptides which selectively or preferentially home to areas of a heart. The invention further relates to conjugates of the homing peptides and uses thereof.

Homing peptides to receptors of heart vasculature

The invention provides methods of treating and preventing loss of tissue vascularization that can occur, for example, upon aging.

Platelet-derived growth factor protection of cardiac myocardium

The invention provides compositions and methods for protecting vascular tissues from injury that occurs, for example, during occlusion of one or more arteries. In some embodiments, the injury is myocardial infarction. The compositions of the invention include combinations of platelet derived growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor, and angiopoietin-2.

Protection of cardiac myocardium

Endothelial precursor cells for enhancing and restoring vascular function

Molecularly-mediated and cellular-based &bgr;-adrenergic receptor-dependent biological pacemakers are disclosed. Methods of using these compositions to improve cardiac chrontropic responsiveness by upregulating heart rate and altering cardiac rhythm are also disclosed.

Enhancement of cardiac chronotropy

The present invention provides implantable physiological or pathophysiological biosensors. The subject biosensors comprise tissue or cells capable of carrying out a physiological or pathophysiological function, which can be used to monitor a chemical, physiological or pathophysiological variable associated with the physiological or pathophysiological function. In one embodiment, the tissue or cells are coupled via an electrical interface to an electronic measuring device or an electronic amplifying device. In another embodiment, the tissue or cells are coupled via an electrical interface to endogenous tissue or cells, including the blood. Preferably, the tissue or cells are excitable tissue or cells such as cardiac tissue or cells and neuronal tissue or cells. The subject biosensors may be placed, inserted or implanted in any animal including but not limited to a mouse, rat, rabbit, pig, cat, dog, cattle, horse, sheep or human. The present invention also provides various methods which employ a biosensor of the present invention. Such methods include a method of monitoring physiological or pathophysiological function, a method of regulating output of a signal to a subject, and a method for controlling heart function.

Enhanced biologically based chronotropic biosensing

Transgenic animals that do not express functional SR-BI and ApoE develop severe atherosclerosis, by age four weeks in transgenic mice. Moreover, these animals exhibit progressive heart block by age four weeks, and die by age nine weeks. Pathology shows extensive fibrosis of the heart and occlusion of coronary arteries. The occlusion appears to be due to clotting, since fat deposition is in the walls. These animals are good models for the following diseases, and for screening of drugs useful in the treatment and/or prevention of these disorders: cardiac fibrosis, myocardial infarction, defects in electrical conductance, atherosclerosis, unstable plaque, and stroke. In contrast to other known models for atherosclerosis, these animals do not have to be fed extreme diets for long periods before developing atherosclerosis. No other known model for heart attacks and stroke is known.

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New York, NY, United States of America

Jay M Edelberg