The invention relates to GPE analogs, particularly GPE analogs capable of inducing an equivalent physiological effect to GPE within a patient. Such GPE analogs include peptides where the Gly of Gly-Pro-Glu is replaced by any of Ala, Ser, Thr, or Pro; where the Pro of Gly-Pro-Glu is replaced by any of Ala, Ser, Thr, or Gly; and where the Glu of Gly-Pro-Glu is replaced by any of Asn, Asp, or Gln. The GPE analogs of the invention have application in any method of therapy or prophylaxis in which GPE has application. These applications include the treatment of acute brain injury and neurodegenerative disease, including but not limited to injury or disease in the CNS. The GPE analogs will normally be administered as part of a pharmaceutical composition or preparation.
1. An analog of the tripeptide, Gly-Pro-Glu (GPE), wherein said Gly is replaced by Ala thereby fanning L-Ala-PE.
2. A method of treating a medical condition resulting from neural injury or disease, comprising administering an effective amount of L-Ala-PE.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said medical condition is associated with hypoxic-ischemic injury.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein said disease is multiple sclerosis.
5. The method of claim 2 , wherein said L-Ala-PE is administered at any time up to and including about 100 hours after said neural injury or disease.
6. The method of claim 2 , wherein said L-Ala-PE is administered prophylactically.
7. The method of claim 2 , wherein said medical condition results from a procedure likely to produce acute brain injury.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein said L-Ala-PE is administered prior to said procedure.
9. A pharmaceutical composition comprising L-Ala-Pro-Glu (L-Ala-PE) and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
10. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 9 , and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.
11. A method of protecting neuronal cells in a patient from damage likely to result in neural injury or disease, comprising administering to said patient a therapeutic amount of a GPE analog of claim 1 .
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said cells are neural cells.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein said damage is associated with an elective procedure.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein said L-Ala PE is included with a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient as a pharmaceutical composition.
15. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the analog of claim 1 , and at least one pharmaceutically acceptable excipient selected from the group consisting of water, Ringer's solution, dextrose, phosphate buffer, citrate buffer, succinate buffer, acetic acid buffer, an antioxidant, peptides having a less than about 10 amino acid residues, polyarginine, tripeptides, serum albumin, gelatin, immunoglobulin, polyvinylpyrrolidone, glycine, amino acid, monosaccharide, disaccharide, cellulose, glucose, mannose, trehalose, dextrins, chelating agents, sugar alcohols, counter ions, non-ionic surfactants and neutral salts.
16. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 9 , wherein said pharmaceutical composition is adapted for peripheral administration.
17. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 9 , wherein said pharmaceutical composition is adapted for intrathecal administration.
18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the route of administration is by implant, aerosol, inhalation, scarification, intraperitoneal, subcutaneous, intracapsular, intramuscular, intranasal, oral, buccal, pulmonary, rectal, vaginal or intravenous.
19. The method of claim 11 , wherein said GPE analog is administered in a dose range of:
from about 0.01 mg/100 g body weight;
to about 1 mg/100 g body weight.
20. The method of claim 11 , wherein said damage is associated with an elective surgical procedure.
21. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 9 , in a capsule.