Biologically active polypeptides derived from a novel early stage pregnancy factor designated maternin (MA)
View Patent ↗The invention relates to therapeutic polypeptides isolated from beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) found in human early pregnancy urine, now synthetically produced and designated Maternin. The therapeutic polypeptides and their functional equivalents are useful in treating and/or preventing various medical conditions. Examples of therapeutic effects of the therapeutic polypeptides include anti-HIV, anti-cancer, anti-wasting, prohematopoietic (e.g., anemias, radiation-mediated bone marrow damage, and trauma-mediated blood loss), and anti-angiogenic effects. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising the therapeutic polypeptides, as well as methods for using the therapeutic polypeptides, functional equivalents and/or pharmaceutical compositions in the treatment and/or prevention of such medical conditions.
1. An isolated polypeptide consisting of SEQ ID NO: 2 or a truncated form of SEQ ID NO: 2 selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 4, SEQ ID NO: 5, SEQ ID NO: 7 and SEQ ID NO: 9.
2. An isolated polypeptide wherein the polypeptide comprises the amino acid sequence of the MA peptide (SEQ ID NO: 2) with the proviso that the polypeptide does not comprise amino acid extensions corresponding to amino terminus or carboxy terminus amino acid sequences along the β-hCG chain (SEQ ID NO: 1) contiguous to the amino acid sequence of the MA peptide (SEQ ID NO: 2).
3. An isolated polypeptide consisting of a truncated form of SEQ ID NO: 2, wherein the truncated form has 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 amino acid residues deleted from the amino terminus or carboxy terminus of SEQ ID NO: 2.
4. A fusion polypeptide comprising the polypeptide of claim 1 joined via a covalent bond to a heterologous polypeptide.
5. A fusion polypeptide comprising two or more of the polypeptides of claim 1 joined together via a covalent bond.
6. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the polypeptide of claim 1 in association with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
7. A peptide isolated from early pregnancy urine consisting essentially of the amino acid sequence of MA (SEQ ID NO: 2) with the proviso that the peptide does not comprise amino acid extensions corresponding to amino terminus or carboxy terminus amino acid sequences along the β-hCG chain (SEQ ID NO: 1) contiguous to the amino acid sequence of the MA peptide (SEQ ID NO: 2).
8. A fusion polypeptide comprising the polypeptide of claim 2 joined via a covalent bond to a heterologous polypeptide.
9. A fusion polypeptide comprising two or more of the polypeptides of claim 2 joined together via a covalent bond.
10. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the polypeptide of claim 2 in association with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
11. A fusion polypeptide comprising the polypeptide of claim 3 joined via a covalent bond to a heterologous polypeptide.
12. A fusion polypeptide comprising two or more of the polypeptides of claim 3 joined together via a covalent bond.
13. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the polypeptide of claim 3 in association with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
14. A fusion polypeptide comprising the peptide of claim 7 joined via a covalent bond to a heterologous polypeptide.
15. A fusion polypeptide comprising two or more of the peptides of claim 7 joined together via a covalent bond.
16. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the peptide of claim 7 in association with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
17. An isolated polypeptide consisting essentially of the amino acid sequence of MA (SEQ ID NO: 2) with the proviso that the peptide does not comprise amino acid extensions corresponding to amino terminus or carboxy terminus amino acid sequences along the β-hCG chain (SEQ ID NO: 1) contiguous to the amino acid sequence of the MA peptide (SEQ ID NO: 2).
18. A fusion polypeptide comprising the polypeptide of claim 17 joined via a covalent bond to a heterologous polypeptide.
19. A fusion polypeptide comprising two or more of the polypeptides of claim 17 joined together via a covalent bond.
20. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the polypeptide of claim 17 in association with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.