Partial peptide mimetics and methods

1. A partial peptide mimetic comprising a first amino acid sequence consisting of ANIKLSVQMKL (SEQ ID NO:8) or a segment thereof, a second amino acid sequence consisting of IIVKLND (SEQ ID NO:2) or a segment thereof, and a β-turn inducing scaffold bonded between the first and second amino acid sequences, wherein the segment of SEQ ID NO:8 is one in which a deletion has been made at the N-terminus by 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 residues, and wherein the segment of SEQ ID NO:2 is one in which a deletion has been made at the C-terminus by 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 residues.

2. A partial peptide mimetic comprising:

a first amino acid sequence;

a second amino acid sequence; and

a β-turn inducing scaffold bonded between the first and second amino acid sequences;

wherein the first amino acid sequence consists of an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of ANIKLSVQMKL (SEQ ID NO:8) and a segment of SEQ ID NO:8;

wherein the second amino acid sequence consists of an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of IIVKLND (SEQ ID NO:2) and a segment of SEQ ID NO;2;

wherein a segment of SEQ ID NO:8 consists of at least three contiguous amino acids of SEQ ID NO:8;

wherein a segment of SEQ ID NO:2 consists of at least one contiguous amino acid of SEQ ID NO:2; and

wherein segment provides the partial peptide mimetic with at least one of the following activities: inhibition of endothelial cell proliferation in vitro at an IC50 level of less than 80 mM; inhibition of angiogenesis in vitro at a level of less than 85% sprouting in a collagen gel-based assay; or reduction in tumor volume in vivo by at least 25% relative to a control at the end of an administration period.

3. The partial peptide mimetic of claim 2 wherein the first amino acid sequence consists of a segment of SEQ ID NO:8, from which a deletion has been made at the N-terminus of SEQ ID NO:8 by 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 residues.

4. The partial peptide mimetic of claim 2 wherein the first amino acid sequence consists of an amino acid selected from the group consisting of MKL, QMKL (SEQ ID NO:4), SVQMKL (SEQ ID NO:5), IKLSVQMKL (SEQ ID NO:6), NIKLSVQMKL (SEQ ID NO:7), and ANIKLSVQMKL (SEQ ID NO:8).

5. The partial peptide mimetic of claim 2 wherein the first amino acid sequence is ANIKLSVQMKL (SEQ ID NO:8) and the second amino acid sequence is IIVKLND (SEQ ID NO:2).

6. The partial peptide mimetic of claim 1 wherein the second amino acid sequence consists of a segment of SEQ ID NO:2 from which a deletion has been made at the C-terminus of SEQ ID NO:2 by 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 residues.

7. The partial peptide mimetic of claim 1 wherein the second amino acid sequence consists of an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of I, IIVK (SEQ ID NO:3), IIVKLN (SEQ ID NO:9) and IIVKLND (SEQ ID NO:2).

8. The partial peptide mimetic of claim 7 wherein the first amino acid sequence consists of an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of MKL, QMKL (SEQ ID NO:4), SVQMKL (SEQ ID NO:5), IKLSVQMKL (SEQ ID NO:6), NIKLSVQMKL (SEQ ID NO:7), and ANIKLSVQMKL (SEQ ID NO:8).

9. The partial peptide mimetic of claim 1 wherein the β-turn inducing scaffold is a dibenzofuran-containing scaffold.

10. The partial peptide mimetic of claim 1 , wherein the partial peptide mimetic has at least one of the following activities: inhibition of endothelial cell proliferation in vitro at an IC50 level of less than 80 μM; inhibition of angiogenesis in vitro at a level of less than 85% sprouting in a collagen gel-based assay; or reduction in tumor volume in vivo by at least 25% relative to a control at the end of an administration period.

11. A partial peptide mimetic selected from the group consisting of:

ANIKLSVQMK (SEQ ID NO:8) and IIVKLND (SEQ ID NO:2), with a β-turn inducing scaffold bonded therebetween;

NIKLSVQMKL (SEQ ID NO:7) and IIVKLND (SEQ ID NO:2), with a β-turn inducing scaffold bonded therebetween;

JKLSVQMKL (SEQ ID NO:6) and IIVKLND (SEQ ID NO:2), with a β-turn inducing scaffold bonded therebetween;

SVQMKL (SEQ ID NO:5) and IIVKLND (SEQ ID NO:2), with a β-turn inducing scaffold bonded therebetween;

QMKL (SEQ ID NO:4) and IIVKLND (SEQ ID NO:2), with a β-turn inducing scaffold banded therebetween;

MKL and IIVKLND (SEQ ID NO:2), with a β-turn inducing scaffold bonded therebetween;

L and IIVKLND (SEQ ID NO:2), with a β-turn inducing scaffold bonded therebetween;

ANIKLSVQMKL (SEQ ID NO:8) and IIVKLN (SEQ ID NO:9), with a β-turn inducing scaffold bonded therebetween;

ANIKLSVQMKL (SEQ ID NO:8) and IIVK (SEQ ID NO:3), with a β-turn inducing scaffold bonded therebetween;

ANIKLSVQMK (SEQ ID NO:8) and I, with a β-turn inducing scaffold bonded therebetween;

SVQMKL (SEQ ID NO:5) and IIVK (SEQ ID NO:9), with a β-turn inducing scaffold bonded therebetween;

SVQMKL (SEQ ID NO:5) and IIVK (SEQ ID NO:3), with a β-turn inducing scaffold bonded therebetween;

SVQMKL (SEQ ID NO:5) and IIV, with a β-turn inducing scaffold bonded therebetween;

SVQMKL (SEQ ID NO:5) and II, with a β-turn inducing scaffold bonded therebetween; and

SVQMKL (SEQ ID NO:5) and I, with a β-turn inducing scaffold bonded therebetween.

12. The partial peptide mimetic of claim 11 wherein the partial peptide mimetic has at least one of the following activities: inhibition of endothelial cell proliferation in vitro at an IC50 level of less than 80 μM; inhibition of angiogenesis in vitro at a level of less than 85% sprouting in a collagen gel-based assay; or reduction in tumor volume in vivo by at least 25% relative to a control at the end of an administration period.

13. A method far inhibiting endothelial cell proliferation, the method comprising contacting cells with an amount of a composition effective to inhibit endothelial cell proliferation, wherein the composition comprises a partial peptide mimetic of any one of claims 1 , 2 , 11 .

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the contacting step occurs in vitro.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the contacting step occurs in vivo.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the cells are present in a cell culture, a tissue, an organ, or an organism.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein the cells arc mammalian cells.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein the cells are human cells.

19. A method for inhibiting angiogenesis, the method comprising contacting cells with an amount of a composition effective to inhibit angiogenesis, the composition comprising a partial peptide mimietic of any one of claims 1 , 2 , 11 .

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the contacting step occurs in vitro.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the contacting step occurs in vivo.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein the cells are present in a cell culture, a tissue, an organ, or an organism.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein the cells are mammalian cells.

24. The method of claim 19 wherein the cells are human cells.

25. A method for inhibiting tumorigenesis in a patient, the method comprising administering to the patient a therapeutically effective amount of a composition comprising a partial peptide mimetic of any one of claims 1 , 2 , 11 .