Arginyl-glutamine dipeptide for treatment of pathological vascular proliferation
The subject invention provides dipeptides useful in preventing pathological proliferation of blood vessels. The dipeptides of the subject invention are particularly advantageous because they are stable, bioavailable, and can be formulated in an aqueous solution, and in particular, into infant formulations.
1 . An infant formula comprising a source of arginyl-glutamine dipeptide.
2 . The infant formula according to claim 1 , wherein the source of arginyl-glutamine dipeptide is arginyl-glutamine dipeptide, or a precursor thereof.
3 . The infant formula according to claim 1 , wherein the infant formula comprises arginyl-glutamine dipeptide, or a precursor thereof, in an amount sufficient for the prevention or treatment of a condition that is selected from retinopathy of prematurity, diabetic retinopathy, vascular proliferative retinopathy, or proliferation of abnormal vascularization.
4 . The infant formula according to claim 1 , wherein the infant formula is nutritionally complete.
5 . The infant formula according to claim 3 , wherein the infant formula contains arginyl-glutamine dipeptide, or precursor thereof, in an amount less than 0.1% by weight.
6 . The infant formula according to claim 3 , which contains an amount of arginyl-glutamine dipeptide of from about 0.001% to 0.098% by weight of the formula.
7 . The infant formula according to claim 2 , wherein the source of arginyl-glutamine dipeptide is one or more of arginyl-glutamine containing oligopeptides, polypeptides, peptides, or proteins.
8 . A method for the prevention or treatment of a condition that is selected from retinopathy of prematurity, diabetic retinopathy, vascular proliferative retinopathy, or proliferation of abnormal vascularization, in an infant, the method comprising administering to the infant an infant formula or dietary supplement containing arginyl-glutamine dipeptide, or precursor thereof, in an amount that is sufficient to treat or prevent the condition.
9 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein administering comprises administering a nutritionally complete infant formula.
10 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein the infant is administered an amount of the formula or supplement sufficient to provide the infant the arginyl-glutamine dipeptide in an amount of from about 0.001 to about 10,000 mg/kg of body weight of the infant per day.
11 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein infant is administered an amount of the formula or supplement sufficient to provide the infant the arginyl-glutamine dipeptide in an amount of from about 0.001 to about 100 mg/kg of body weight of the infant per day.
12 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein infant is administered an amount of the formula or supplement sufficient to provide the infant the arginyl-glutamine dipeptide in an amount of from about 0.01 to about 1 mg/kg of body weight of the infant per day.
13 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein the infant is a premature infant.
14 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein the infant is a newborn infant.