Agonists of guanylate cyclase and their uses

1. A method for treating a condition that responds to enhanced cGMP levels in a patient comprising administering to said patient a therapeutically effective amount of a peptide consisting essentially of the sequence of any one of SEQ ID NOs: 1-38, 50-94, 119, and 120, wherein said peptide is administered in an amount sufficient to increase water transport in the gastrointestinal tract and induce cGMP production in a gastrointestinal epithelial cell.

2. A method for preventing or treating a condition selected from the group consisting of ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), non-ulcer dyspepsia, chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction, functional dyspepsia, colonic pseudo-obstruction, duodenogastric reflux, constipation, chronic constipation, constipation associated with use of opiate pain killers, post-surgical constipation, constipation associated with neuropathic disorders, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Celiac disease, gastroparesis, heartburn, poor gastrointestinal motility, congestive heart failure, hypertension, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), colon cancer, lung cancer, bladder cancer, liver cancer, salivary gland cancer or skin cancer, bronchitis, tissue inflammation, organ inflammation, respiratory inflammation, asthma, COPD, lipid metabolism disorders, biliary disorders, cardiovascular disease, obesity and an endocrine disorder comprising administering to a patient in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a peptide consisting essentially of the sequence of any one of SEQ ID NOs: 1-38, 50-94, 119, and 120.

3. A method of colonic cleansing, comprising administering to a subject in need thereof an effective amount of a peptide consisting essentially of the sequence of any one of SEQ ID NOs: 1-38, 50-94, 119, and 120.

4. A method of increasing cGMP production in a cell comprising contacting said cell with a peptide consisting essentially of the sequence of any one of SEQ ID NOs: 1-38, 50-94, 119, and 120.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said peptide is Asn 1 -Asp 2 -Aad 3 -Cys 4 -Glu 5 -Leu 6 -Cys 7 -Val 8 -Asn 9 -Val 10 -Ala 11 -Cys 12 -Thr 13 -Gly 14 -Cys 15 -Leu 16 (SEQ ID NO: 1), Asn 1 -Asp 2 -Aad 3 -Cys 4 -Glu 5 -Leu 6 -Cys 7 -Val 8 -Asn 9 -Val 10 -Ala 11 -Cys 12 -Thr 13 -Gly 14 -Cys 15 -Ser 16 (SEQ ID NO: 32), Asn 1 -Asp 2 -Aad 3 -Cys 4 -Glu 5 -Leu 6 -Cys 7 -Val 8 -Asn 9 -Val 10 -Ala 11 -Cys 12 -Thr 13 -Gly 14 -Cys 15 -Thr 16 (SEQ ID NO: 119), Asn 1 -Asp 2 -Aad 3 -Cys 4 -Glu 5 -Leu 6 -Cys 7 -Val 8 -Asn 9 -Val 10 -Ala 11 -Cys 12 -Thr 13 -Gly 14 -Cys 15 -Tyr 16 (SEQ ID NO: 120), dAsn 1 -Asp 2 -Aad 3 -Cys 4 -Glu 5 -Leu 6 -Cys 7 -Val 8 -Asn 9 -Val 10 -Ala 11 -Cys 12 -Thr 13 -Gly 14 -Cys 15 -dLeu 16 (SEQ ID NO: 17), or pyGlu 1 -Asp 2 -Aad 3 -Cys 4 -Glu 5 -Leu 6 -Cys 7 -Val 8 -Asn 9 -Val 10 -Ala 11 -Cys 12 -Thr 13 -Gly 14 -Cys 15 -Leu 16 (SEQ ID NO: 56).

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of a cGMP-dependent phosphodiesterase inhibitor.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein said cGMP-dependent phosphodiesterase inhibitor is administered either concurrently or sequentially with said guanylate cyclase receptor agonist.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein said cGMP-dependent phosphodiesterase inhibitor is selected from the group consisting of sulindac sulfone, zaprinast, motapizone, vardenafil, and sildenafil.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of at least one anti-inflammatory agent.

10. The method of 9 , wherein said anti-inflammatory agent is a steroid or nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID).

11. The method of claim 3 , further comprising administering to said subject an effective amount of L-glucose, lubiprostone (Amitiza), prucalopride, an agent for treating chronic constipation, or any combination thereof.