Connective tissue stimulating peptides

1. An implant for stimulating repair of bone, cartilage and/or associated connective tissue, the implant comprising an amino acid sequence represented by a formula selected from the group consisting of:

(I) X—(P 1 ) m Gly(P 2 ) n , (II) (P 1 ) m Gly(P 2 ) n —Z, and (III) X—(P 1 ) m Gly(P 2 ) n —Z;

wherein P 1 and P 2 are selected from the group consisting of proline and hydroxyproline, m=0 or 1, n=0 or 1, wherein at least one of m or n=1, and wherein m and n are independently selected;

wherein X is selected from the group consisting of leucine, glycine-leucine, proline-isoleucine, glycine-proline-isoleucine, asparagine-glycine-leucine and proline-glycine-proline-isoleucine-glycine-proline (SEQ. ID. NO.9); and

wherein Z is selected from the group consisting of isoleucine, arginine, isoleucine-glycine, isoleucine-glycine-proline, isoleucine-glycine-hydroxyproline, isoleucine-glycine-proline-proline (SEQ. ID. NO.21), isoleucine-glycine-proline-proline-glycine (SEQ. ID. NO.22), isoleucine-glycine-proline-proline-glycine-proline (SEQ. ID. NO.23), isoleucine-glycine-proline-proline-glycine-proline-arginine (SEQ. ID. NO.24), isoleucine-glycine-proline-proline-glycine-proline-arginine-glycine-arginine-threonine-glycine-aspartate-alanine (SEQ. ID. NO.25) and arginine-glycine-arginine-threonine-glycine-aspartate-alanine (SEQ. ID. NO.26);

wherein the implant delivers the amino acid sequence to the bone, cartilage and/or associated connective tissue in a controlled and sustained manner so that the amino acid sequence is delivered in a therapeutically effective amount and for a therapeutically effective time in order to stimulate the repair of the bone, cartilage and/or associated connective tissue.

2. The implant of claim 1 , wherein the amino acid sequence stimulates at least one of (i) the activity of bone cells, bone cell precursors and cells sharing lineage, (ii) the activity of cartilage cells, cartilage cell precursors and cells sharing lineage, (iii) the formation of bone, and (iv) the formation of cartilage.

3. The implant of claim 1 , wherein the amino acid sequence stimulates a response in vitro, ex vivo and/or in vivo.

4. The implant of claim 1 , wherein the amino acid sequence is at least four amino acids in length.

5. The implant of claim 1 , wherein the implant further comprises one or more linker groups.

6. The implant of claim 5 , wherein the linker group is selected from the group consisting of carbodiimide, aldehyde, maleimide, sulfhydryl, amino, carboxy, hydroxy and NHS esters, a modified cysteine, a phosphorylated amino acid, an amino acid, diacetic acid, sulfonyl chloride, isocyanate, isothiocyanate, epoxy, bisphosphonate, pyrophosphate, phosphate, disulfide, phenyl azide, alkyl halide and hydrazide acyl chloride.

7. The implant of claim 1 , wherein the amino acid sequence is linked to a chimeric peptide.

8. The implant of claim 7 , wherein the chimeric peptide comprises a calcium binding sequence of a protein selected from the group consisting of osteopontin, dentine matrix phosphoprotein, phosvitin, phosphohoryn, beta-casein, stratherin, matrix gla protein, riboflavin binding protein and alpha S1 casein.

9. The implant of claim 8 , wherein the calcium binding sequence is selected from the group consisting of S*S*, S*S*GS*EE (SEQ. ID. NO.35), S*S*S*EE (SEQ. ID. NO.36), S*S*S*S*S*S* (SEQ. ID. NO.37), DS*S*DS*S* (SEQ. ID. NO.38), S*LS*S*S*S* (SEQ. ID. NO.39), DS*S*EE (SEQ. ID. NO.40), DS*S*ES* (SEQ. ID. NO.41), S*MS*S*S*EE (SEQ. ID. NO.42) and S*IS*S*S*EE (SEQ. ID. NO.43) and combinations thereof, wherein S* denotes a phosphorylated serine amino acid residue.

10. The implant of claim 3 , wherein the stimulation may be assessed by the analysis of one or more criteria selected from the group consisting of bone mineral density, bone mineral content, alkaline phosphatase activity, proliferation of osteoblasts, bone nodule formation, bone nodule mineralization, chondrocyte proliferation, intracellular calcium channeling assay, collagen assay and proteoglycan assay.

11. The implant of claim 1 , wherein the amino acid sequence is selected from the group consisting of: NGLPGPIGP* (SEQ. ID. NO. 1); NGLPGPIG (SEQ. ID. NO.2); NGLP*GPIG (SEQ. ID. NO.3); NGLP*GPIGP* (SEQ. ID. NO.4); NGLPGP (SEQ ID. NO.5); LPGP (SEQ. ID. NO.6); PGPIG (SEQ ID. NO.7); NGLPGPIGP (SEQ. ID. NO.8); PGPIGP (SEQ ID. NO.9); PGPIGPPGPR (SEQ. ID. NO.10); GPIG (SEQ. ID. NO.11); PGPIGPPGPRGRTGDA (SEQ. ID. NO.12); GPRGRTGDA (SEQ. ID. NO.13); PGPIGPP (SEQ. ID. NO.14); PGPIGP* (SEQ. ID. NO.15); PGPI (SEQ. ID. NO.16); GLPGPIG (SEQ. ID. NO.17); GPIGP* (SEQ. ID. NO.18); GPIGP (SEQ. ID. NO.19); and PIGP (SEQ. ID. NO.20), wherein P* is hydroxyproline.

12. The implant of claim 1 , wherein the amino acid sequence has the sequence NGLPGPIGP* (SEQ. ID. NO.1), wherein P* is hydroxyproline.

13. The implant of claim 1 , wherein the implant further comprises S*S*S*EE (SEQ. ID. NO.36).

14. An implant for stimulating repair of bone, cartilage and/or associated connective tissue, the implant comprising:

a peptide comprising a peptide motif selected from the group consisting of “GPI”, “LPG”, “GLP”, “PIG” and “IGP” and having up to 10 amino acids upstream and/or downstream of said peptide motif, wherein “P” in said motif is proline or hydroxyproline, wherein the peptide is selected from the group consisting of NGLPGPIGP* (SEQ. ID. NO. 1); NGLPGPIG (SEQ. ID. NO.2); NGLP*GPIG (SEQ. ID. NO.3); NGLP*GPIGP* (SEQ. ID. NO.4); NGLPGP (SEQ ID. NO.5); LPGP (SEQ. ID. NO.6); PGPIG (SEQ ID. NO.7); NGLPGPIGP (SEQ. ID. NO.8); PGPIGP (SEQ ID. NO.9); PGPIGPPGPR (SEQ. ID. NO.10); GPIG (SEQ. ID. NO.11); PGPIGPPGPRGRTGDA (SEQ. ID. NO.12); GPRGRTGDA (SEQ. ID. NO.13); PGPIGPP (SEQ. ID. NO.14); PGPIGP* (SEQ. ID. NO.15); PGPI (SEQ. ID. NO.16); GLPGPIG (SEQ. ID. NO.17); GPIGP* (SEQ. ID. NO.18); GPIGP (SEQ. ID. NO.19); PIGP (SEQ. ID. NO.20) and mixtures thereof), wherein P* is hydroxyproline;

wherein the implant delivers the peptide to the bone, cartilage and/or associated connective tissue in a controlled and sustained manner so that the peptide is delivered in a therapeutically effective amount and for a therapeutically effective time in order to stimulate the repair of the bone, cartilage and/or associated connective tissue.

15. The implant according to claim 14 wherein the peptide is bound to the implant such that when the peptide and the implant are implanted into a body in the vicinity of bone, cartilage and/or associated connective tissue, the peptide is delivered to the bone, cartilage and/or associated connective tissue in a controlled and sustained manner in a therapeutically effective amount for a period of time greater than 24 hours in order to stimulate the repair of the bone, cartilage and/or associated connective tissue.

16. The implant according to claim 15 wherein the period of time is selected from the group consisting of at least 48 hours, at least 1 week, at least 3 weeks, at least 6 weeks, at least 9 weeks and at least 12 weeks.

17. The implant according to claim 14 wherein the implant comprises a biomaterial compound.

18. The implant of claim 14 wherein the peptide stimulates at least one of (i) the activity of bone cells, bone cell precursors and cells sharing lineage, (ii) the activity of cartilage cells, cartilage cell precursors and cells sharing lineage, (iii) the formation of bone, and (iv) the formation of cartilage.

19. The implant of claim 14 wherein the peptide stimulates a response in vitro, ex vivo and/or in vivo.

20. The implant according to claim 14 wherein the peptide is at least four amino acids in length.

21. The implant of claim 14 wherein “P” is hydroxyproline.

22. The implant of claim 14 wherein the implant further comprises one or more linker groups.

23. The implant of claim 22 wherein the linker group is selected from the group consisting of carbodiimide, aldehyde, maleimide, sulfhydryl, amino, carboxy, hydroxy and NHS esters, a modified cysteine, a phosphorylated amino acid, an amino acid, diacetic acid, sulfonyl chloride, isocyanate, isothiocyanate, epoxy, bisphosphonate, pyrophosphate, phosphate, disulfide, phenyl azide, alkyl halide and hydrazide acyl chloride.

24. The implant of claim 14 wherein the peptide is linked to a chimeric peptide.

25. The implant of claim 24 wherein the chimeric peptide comprises a calcium binding sequence of a protein selected from the group consisting of osteopontin, dentine matrix phosphoprotein, phosvitin, phosphohoryn, beta-casein, stratherin, matrix gla protein, riboflavin binding protein and alpha S1 casein.

26. The implant of claim 25 wherein the calcium binding sequence is selected from the group consisting of S*S*, S*S*GS*EE (SEQ. ID. NO.35), S*S*S*EE (SEQ. ID. NO.36), S*S*S*S*S*S* (SEQ. ID. NO.37), DS*S*DS*S* (SEQ. ID. NO.38), S*LS*S*S*S* (SEQ. ID. NO.39), DS*S*EE (SEQ. ID. NO.40), DS*S*ES* (SEQ. ID. NO.41), S*MS*S*S*EE (SEQ. ID. NO.42) and S*IS*S*S*EE (SEQ. ID. NO.43) and combinations thereof, wherein S* denotes a phosphorylated serine amino acid residue.

27. The implant of claim 14 wherein the stimulation may be assessed by the analysis of one or more criteria selected from the group consisting of bone mineral density, bone mineral content, alkaline phosphatase activity, proliferation of osteoblasts, bone nodule formation, bone nodule mineralization, chondrocyte proliferation, intracellular calcium channeling assay, collagen assay and proteoglycan assay.

28. The implant of claim 14 wherein the implant further comprises an agent selected from the group consisting of calcium phosphate, calcium sulfate, calcium carbonate, fibrin, hyaluronic acid, proteoglycans, calcitonin, estrogen, estradiol, prostaglandin A1, bisphosphonic acids, ipriflavones, sodium fluoride, vitamin K, bone morphogenetic proteins, fibroblast growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor, transforming growth factor, insulin-like growth factors 1 and 2, endothelin, parathyroid hormone, epidermal growth factor, leukemia inhibitory factor, osteogenin and mixtures thereof.

29. The implant of claim 14 wherein the peptide is provided as a coating, filling or as a matrix dispersed within the implant.

30. The implant of claim 29 wherein the implant comprises a granular or powdered biomaterial compound.

31. The implant of claim 14 wherein the implant comprises a biocompatible and/or biodegradable polymer.

32. The implant of claim 14 wherein “P” is proline.

33. The implant of claim 1 wherein the amino acid sequence is provided as a coating on the implant.

34. The implant of claim 1 wherein the amino acid sequence is provided as a matrix dispersed within the implant.

35. The implant of claim 1 wherein the implant comprises a polymer.

36. The implant of claim 35 wherein the polymer comprises at least one from the group consisting of polyesters, polyvinyl acetate, polyacrylates, polyorthoesters, polyhydroxyethylmethacrylate(polyhema), polyanhydrides and aliphatic polyesters.

37. The implant of claim 31 wherein the polymer comprises at least one from the group consisting of polyesters, polyvinyl acetate, polyacrylates, polyorthoesters, polyhydroxyethylmethacrylate(polyhema), polyanhydrides and aliphatic polyesters.