Tufts College

University of Texas System

Yale University

Joshua A Kritzer

Leila Peraro

Alanna Schepartz Shrader

Beth Levine

Scott A Hart

Olen M Stephens

Disclosed herein are cyclic peptides that induce cellular autophagy and have significant cell penetration activity. Methods for inducing autophagy and thereby treating various diseases and conditions associated with impaired autophagy are provided.

Cyclic peptide epitopes and small-molecule mimics for inducing autophagy

As described below, the invention provides methods for localizing and quantifying the extent to which a molecule penetrates a cell.

Chloroalkane penetration method for quantifying access of a molecule into a cell

&#x3b2;-peptide regions of polypeptides can serve as structural mimics of &#x3b1;-helices in wild type proteins. Because &#x3b1;-helices of one protein often bind to a target protein in a biological pathway, a polypeptide that contains a helical &#x3b2;-peptide region can be used to disrupt this type of protein-protein binding. As a result, polypeptides that contain a helical &#x3b2;-peptide region can be used to treat conditions involving this type of protein-protein binding, such as viral infections and cell proliferation.

&#x3b2;-peptides

Growing community of inventors

Medford, MA, United States of America

Joshua A Kritzer