U.S. patent application number 10/486731 was filed with the patent office on 2004-12-02 for compounds capable of affecting differentiation, proliferation, regeneration, plasticity and survival of cells.
Invention is credited to Berezin, Vladimir, Bock, Elisabeth, Kiselyov, Vladislav V., Skladchikova, Galina.
Application Number | 20040242479 10/486731 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26069061 |
Filed Date | 2004-12-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040242479 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bock, Elisabeth ; et
al. |
December 2, 2004 |
Compounds capable of affecting differentiation, proliferation,
regeneration, plasticity and survival of cells
Abstract
The present invention relates to a compound comprising the third
Immunoglobulin (Ig3) module, and/or the fourth Immunoglobulin (Ig4)
module, and/or the fifth Immunoglobulin (Ig5), module, and/or the
first Fibronectin III (Fn3,1) module, and/or the second Fibronectin
III (Fn3,2) module of neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), or a
fragment, or a variant thereof, capable of interacting with an
Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) receptor and/or
Adenosine-Tri-Phosphate (ATP) and/or L1, and thereby the compounds
are capable of inducing differentiation, modulating proliferation,
stimulate regeneration, neuronal plasticity and/or survival of
cells. Further, the present invention relates to a pharmaceutical
composition comprising said compound, a process of producing a
pharmaceutical composition and the use of said compound.
Inventors: |
Bock, Elisabeth;
(Charlottenlund, DK) ; Kiselyov, Vladislav V.;
(Copenhagen, DK) ; Skladchikova, Galina;
(Hellerup, DK) ; Berezin, Vladimir; (Copenhagen,
DK) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BROWDY AND NEIMARK, P.L.L.C.
624 NINTH STREET, NW
SUITE 300
WASHINGTON
DC
20001-5303
US
|
Family ID: |
26069061 |
Appl. No.: |
10/486731 |
Filed: |
February 13, 2004 |
PCT Filed: |
August 19, 2002 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/DK02/00541 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
514/8.3 ;
514/13.3; 514/16.4; 514/19.1; 514/19.3; 514/9.1; 514/9.3;
514/9.4 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61P 13/12 20180101;
A61P 25/00 20180101; A61P 25/02 20180101; A61P 17/02 20180101; A61P
25/16 20180101; A61P 25/24 20180101; A61P 21/04 20180101; C07K
14/70503 20130101; A61P 21/00 20180101; A61P 35/00 20180101; A61P
9/10 20180101; A61P 15/08 20180101; A61K 38/00 20130101; A61P 25/28
20180101; A61P 3/10 20180101; A61P 25/14 20180101; A61P 1/18
20180101; C07K 2319/00 20130101; A61P 9/00 20180101 |
Class at
Publication: |
514/012 |
International
Class: |
A61K 038/17 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 17, 2001 |
DK |
PA200101228 |
May 2, 2002 |
DK |
PA200200667 |
Claims
1. A compound capable of interacting with Fibroblast Growth Factor
(FGF) receptor comprising amino acid residues in the range of 3 to
100 amino acids, said compound comprising (i) the second
Fibronectin III (Fn3,2) module of the neural cell adhesion molecule
(NCAM), or a fragment, or a variant thereof, and/or (ii) a
fragment, or a variant of the first Fibronectin III (Fn3,1) module
of NCAM, said fragment, or said variant being homologues to the
FG-loop of the Fn3,2 module of NCAM.
2. The compound according to claim 1, wherein the FGF receptor is
selected from the group consisting of FGF receptor I, FGF receptor
II, FGF receptor III, and FGF receptor IV.
3. The compound according to claim 1, capable of stimulating FGF
receptor signalling.
4. The compound according to claim 3, said compound stimulating FGF
receptor I signalling.
5. The compound according to claim 1, comprising the second Fn 3,2
module of NCAM, or a fragment, or a variant thereof.
6. The compound according to claim 1, wherein (ii) comprising an
amino acid sequence of the formula L1-A-L2-B-L3-C-L4, wherein one
of A, B, C is selected from a basic amino acid, one of A, B, C is
selected from a hydrophobic amino acid, one of A, B, C is glycine,
and L1, L2, L3, L4 may be selected from a chemical bond or an amino
acid sequence having n amino acid residues, wherein n is an integer
of from 0 to 5.
7. The compound according to claim 6, wherein B is glycine, A is a
basic amino acid residue, and C is a hydrophobic amino acid
residue.
8. The compound according to claim 7, wherein A is lysine (K), and
C is leucine (L) or alanine (A).
9. The compound according to claim 6, comprising the sequence NGKGL
(SEQ ID NO:26) or NGRGL (SEQ ID NO:27).
10. The compound according to claim 1, wherein (i) comprising an
amino acid sequence of the formula L1-A-L2-B-L3-C-L4-D-L5, wherein
one of A, B, C, D is selected from a basic amino acid residue, one
of A, B, C, D is selected from a hydrophobic amino acid residue,
one of A, B, C, D is selected from an acidic amino acid residue,
one of A, B, C, D is glycine, and L1, L2, L3, L4 and L5 may be
selected from a chemical bond or an amino acid sequence having n
amino acid residues, wherein n is an integer of from 0 to 5.
11. The compound according to claim 1, wherein said compound
comprises a peptide homologous to the FG loop of the Fn3,2 module
of the NCAM molecule, or a fragment, or a variant thereof.
12. The compound according to claim 11, wherein said compound
comprises a peptide sequence having the motif A-E-N-Q-X-X-K,
wherein X may be any amino acid residue.
13. The compound according to claim 12, wherein X is selected from
Glutamine (Q), Alanine (A) and/or Asparagine (N) and/or Glycine
(G).
14. The compound according to claim 1, wherein said compound
comprises at least one peptide sequence selected from the group
consisting of EVYVVAENQQGKSKA (SEQ ID NO 1), EVAVVAENQQGASAA (SEQ
ID NO 2), VAENQQGKS (SEQ ID NO 3), AENQQGKS (SEQ ID NO 4), AENQQGK
(SEQ ID NO 5), AENQAGK (SEQ ID NO 6), AMKEDGR (SEQ ID NO 7),
ALNGKGLG (SEQ ID NO 8), AFNGRGLG (SEQ ID NO 9), LNGKGLG (SEQ ID NO
10), LNGKGL (SEQ ID NO 11), ALNGKG (SEQ ID NO 12), LNGNALGE (SEQ ID
NO 13), LNGKALG (SEQ ID NO 14), ALNGKAL (SEQ ID NO 15), ALNLKGLGD
(SEQ ID NO 16), LNGKELG (SEQ ID NO 17), LTGKGLAE (SEQ ID NO 18),
LKGKGLEE (SEQ ID NO 19), LNSKGLVE (SEQ ID NO 20), LNGKALVE (SEQ ID
NO 21), LAAKGLGE (SEQ ID NO 22), LDGKGL (SEQ ID NO 23), KGLGE (SEQ
ID NO 24), DGKSLGE (SEQ ID NO 25), NGKGL (SEQ ID NO 26), NGRGL (SEQ
ID NO 27), QAFNGRGLGP (SEQ ID NO 28), EVQAFNGRGLGPPAS (SEQ ID NO
29), AALNGKGLGE (SEQ ID NO 30), RLAALNGKGLGEIS (SEQ ID NO 31),
ALNGKGAP (SEQ ID NO 32), VALNGKGAPR (SEQ ID NO 33), MYVALNGKGAPRRQ
(SEQ ID NO 34), LNGRG (SEQ ID NO 35), LNGKG (SEQ ID NO 36),
MYVALNGKGAPRRGQ (SEQ ID NO 37), MFLALDRRGGPRPGG (SEQ ID NO 38),
MFLALDSQGIPRQGQ (SEQ ID NO 39), MFVALNQKGIPVRG (SEQ ID NO 40),
MFVALNQKGIPVKG (SEQ ID NO 41), MFVALNQKGLPVKG (SEQ ID NO 42),
WYVSVNGKGRPRRG (SEQ ID NO 43), YYVALNKDGTPREG (SEQ ID NO 44),
YYVALNKDGSPREG (SEQ ID NO 45), YFVALNKDGTPRDG (SEQ ID NO 46),
WYVALNKRGKAKRG (SEQ ID NO 47), WYLGLNKEGEIMKG (SEQ ID NO 48),
WFLGLNKEGQIMKG (SEQ ID NO 49), TYIALSKYGRVKRG (SEQ ID NO 50),
WFLGLNKEGQAMKG (SEQ ID NO 51), WFLGLNKEGQVMKG (SEQ ID NO 52),
WYLGLDKEGQVMKG (SEQ ID NO 53), WYLGLDKEGRVMKG (SEQ ID NO 54),
WYVALKRTGQYKLG (SEQ ID NO 55), WFVGLKKNGSCKRG (SEQ ID NO 56),
ANRYLAMKEDGRLLAS (SEQ ID NO 57), TGQYLAMDTEGLLYGS (SEQ ID NO 58),
TGQYLAMDTDGLLYGS (SEQ ID NO 59), TGQYLAMDTSGLLYGS (SEQ ID NO 60),
TGQFLAMDTDGLLYGS (SEQ ID NO 61), SRFFVAMSSKGKLYGS (SEQ ID NO 62),
SRFFVAMSSRGKLFGV (SEQ ID NO 63), SRFFVAMSSRGRLYGS (SEQ ID NO 64),
SGLFVAMNSKGKLYGS (SEQ ID NO 65), SNKFLAMSKKGKLHAS (SEQ ID NO 66),
SALFVAMNSKGRLYAT (SEQ ID NO 67), SALFIAMNSKGRLYTT (SEQ ID NO 68),
SGRYLAMNKRGRLYAS (SEQ ID NO 69), SEYYLAMNKEGKLYAK (SEQ ID NO 70),
SEYYLAMNKQGLYAK (SEQ ID NO 71), SEFYLAMNKEGKLYAK (SEQ ID NO 72),
SGLYLGMNEKGELYGS (SEQ ID NO 73), SGLYLGMNDKGELYGS (SEQ ID NO 74),
SGLYLGMNERGELYGS (SEQ ID NO 75), SGLYLGMNERGELFGS (SEQ ID NO 76),
SNYYLAMNKKGKLYGS (SEQ ID NO 77), SGFYVAMNRRGRLYGS (SEQ ID NO 78),
TGLYIAMNGEGYLYPS (SEQ ID NO 79), ASLYVAMNGEGYLYSS (SEQ ID NO 80),
TKLYLAMNSEGYLYTS (SEQ ID NO 81), TGLYICMNKKGKLIAKS (SEQ ID NO 82),
LGHYMAMNAEGLLYSS (SEQ ID NO 83), TEFYLCMNRKGKLVGK (SEQ ID NO 84),
SVRYLCMGADGKMQGL (SEQ ID NO 85), WFVGLKKNGS[[ ]]CKRG (SEQ ID NO
86), WYVALKRTGQ[[ ]]YKLG (SEQ ID NO 87), WYVSVNGKGR[[ ]]PRRG (SEQ
ID NO 88), GMFIALSKNG[[ ]]KTKKG (SEQ ID NO 89), GMFMALSKNG[[
]]RTKKG (SEQ ID NO 91), GMFIALSKNG[[ ]]KAKKG (SEQ ID NO 92),
WYVALNKRGK[[ ]]AKRG (SEQ ID NO 93), TYIALSKYGR[[ ]]VKRG (SEQ ID NO
94), MFVALNQKGI[[ ]]PVRG (SEQ ID NO 95), MFVALNQKGI[[ ]]PVKG (SEQ
ID NO 96), MFVALNQKGL[[ ]]PVKG (SEQ ID NO 97), WYMAFTRKGR[[ ]]PRKG
(SEQ ID NO 98), YYVALNKDGT[[ ]]PREG (SEQ ID NO 99), MYVALNGKGA[[
]]PRRGQ (SEQ ID NO 100), WYLGLDKEGQ[[ ]]VMKG (SEQ ID NO 101),
WYLGLDKEGR[[ ]]VMKG (SEQ ID NO 102), WFLGLNKEGQ[[ ]]IMKG (SEQ ID NO
103), WYLGLNKEGE[[ ]]IMKG (SEQ ID NO 104), WFLGLNKEGQ[[ ]]AMKG (SEQ
ID NO 105), WFLGLNKEGQ[[ ]]VMKG (SEQ ID NO 106), YYVALNKDGS[[
]]PREG (SEQ ID NO 107), WFMAFTRQGR[[ ]]PRQ (SEQ ID NO 108),
WFVGLKKNGS[[ ]]CKRG (SEQ ID NO 109), WYVGFTKKGR[[ ]]PRKG (SEQ ID NO
110), YFVALNKDGT[[ ]]PRDG (SEQ ID NO 111), MFLALDRRGG[[ ]]PRPGG
(SEQ ID NO 112), MFLALDSQGI[[ ]]PRQGQ (SEQ ID NO 113), TGQYLAMDTE[[
]]GLLYGS (SEQ ID NO 114), TGQYLAMDTD[[ ]]GLLYGS (SEQ ID NO 115),
TGQYLAMDTS[[ ]]GLLYGS (SEQ ID NO 116), TGQFLAMDTD[[ ]]GLLYGS (SEQ
ID NO 118), ANRYLAMKED[[ ]]GRLLAS (SEQ ID NO 119), SGRYLAMNKR[[
]]GRLYAS (SEQ ID NO 120), SRFFVAMSSK[[ ]]GKLYGS (SEQ ID NO 121),
SRFFVAMSSR[[ ]]GKLFGV (SEQ ID NO 122), SRFFVAMSSR[[ ]]GRLYGS (SEQ
ID NO 123), SGLFVAMNSK[[ ]]GKLYGS (SEQ ID NO 124), SNKFLAMSKK[[
]]GKLHAS (SEQ ID NO 125), SALFVAMNSK[[ ]]GRLYAT (SEQ ID NO 126),
SALFIAMNSK[[ ]]GRLYTT (SEQ ID NO 127), SEYYLAMNKE[[ ]]GKLYAK (SEQ
ID NO 128), SEYYLAMNKQ[[ ]]GLYAK (SEQ ID NO 129), SEFYLAMNKE[[
]]GKLYAK (SEQ ID NO 130), TGLYICMNKK[[ ]]GKLIAKS (SEQ ID NO 131),
SGLYLGMNEK[[ ]]GELYGS (SEQ ID NO 132), SNYYLAMNKK[[ ]]GKLYGS (SEQ
ID NO 133), LGHYMAMNAE[[ ]]GLLYSS (SEQ ID NO 134), ASLYVAMNGE[[
]]GYLYSS (SEQ ID NO 135), TKLYLAMNSE[[ ]]GYLYTS (SEQ ID NO 136),
TGLYIAMNGE[[ ]]GYLYPS (SEQ ID NO 137), SVRYLCMSAD[[ ]]GKIYG (SEQ ID
NO 138), SGLYLGMNER[[ ]]GELYGS (SEQ ID NO 139), SGLYLGMNER[[
]]GELFGS (SEQ ID NO 140), SEKYICMNKR[[ ]]GKLIG (SEQ ID NO 141),
TEFYLCMNRK[[ ]]GKLVGK (SEQ ID NO 142), SVRYLCMGAD[[ ]]GKMQGL (SEQ
ID NO 143), SGLYLGMNDK[[ ]]GELYGS (SEQ ID NO 144), TSRFLCQRPD[[
]]GALYG (SEQ ID NO 145), ASRFLCQQPD[[ ]]GALYG (SEQ ID NO 146),
SGFYVAMNRR[[ ]]GRLYGS (SEQ ID NO 147), SRRYLCMDFR[[ ]]GNIFGS (SEQ
ID NO 148), TRRFLCMDLH[[ ]]GNIFGS (SEQ ID NO 149), GLKKNGSC (SEQ ID
NO 150), ALKRTGQY (SEQ ID NO 151), SVNGKGRP (SEQ ID NO 152),
IALSKNGKT (SEQ ID NO 153), MALSKNGRT (SEQ ID NO 154), IALSKNGKA
(SEQ ID NO 155), ALNKRGKA (SEQ ID NO 156), ALSKYGRV (SEQ ID NO
157), ALNQKGIP (SEQ ID NO 158), ALNQKGLP (SEQ ID NO 159), AFTRKGRP
(SEQ ID NO 160), ALNKDGTP (SEQ ID NO 161), ALNGKGAPR (SEQ ID NO
162), GLDKEGQV (SEQ ID NO 163), GLDKEGRV (SEQ ID NO 164), GLNKEGQI
(SEQ ID NO 165), GLNKEGEI (SEQ ID NO 166), GLNKEGQA (SEQ ID NO
167), GLNKEGQV (SEQ ID NO 168), ALNKDGSP (SEQ ID NO 169), AFTRQGR
(SEQ ID NO 170), GLKKNGSC (SEQ ID NO 171), GFTKKGRP (SEQ ID NO
172), ALNKDGTP (SEQ ID NO 173), ALDRRGGPR (SEQ ID NO 174),
ALDSQGIPR (SEQ ID NO 175), AMDTDGL (SEQ ID NO 176), AMDTEGL (SEQ ID
NO 177), AMDTSGL (SEQ ID NO 178), AMKEDGR (SEQ ID NO 179), AMNKRGR
(SEQ ID NO 180), AMSSKGK (SEQ ID NO 181), AMSSRGK (SEQ ID NO 182),
AMNSKGK (SEQ ID NO 183), AMSKKGK (SEQ ID NO 184), AMNSKGR (SEQ ID
NO 185), AMNKEGK (SEQ ID NO 186), AMNKEGK (SEQ ID NO 187), AMNKQGL
(SEQ ID NO 188), CMNKKGK (SEQ ID NO 189), GMNEKGE (SEQ ID NO 190),
AMNKKGK (SEQ ID NO 191), AMNAEGL (SEQ ID NO 192), AMNGEGY (SEQ ID
NO 193), AMNSEGY (SEQ ID NO 194), AMNGEGY (SEQ ID NO 195), CMSADGK
(SEQ ID NO 196), GMNERGE (SEQ ID NO 197), CMNKRGK (SEQ ID NO 198),
CMNRKGK (SEQ ID NO 199), CMGADGK (SEQ ID NO 200), GMNDKGE (SEQ ID
NO 201), LCQRPDG (SEQ ID NO 202), LCQQPDG (SEQ ID NO 203), AMNRRGR
(SEQ ID NO 204), CMDFRGN (SEQ ID NO 205), and CMDLHGN (SEQ ID NO
206).
15. The compound according to claim 10, wherein the amino acid
sequence has the formula AENQ-L4-G, wherein L4 is as defined in
claim 10.
16. The compound according to claim 1, wherein (i) comprising an
amino acid sequence of the formula A-B-L3-L4-C-L4, wherein A is a
hydrophobic amino acid residue, B is an acidic amino acid residue,
L3 is one or more hydrophilic amino acid residue(s), L4 is an amino
acid sequence as defined in claim 10 for L4, and C is glycine.
17. The compound according to claim 1 comprising a sequence of the
formula L1-A-L2-B-L3-C-L4-D-L5-E-L6, wherein at least one of L1,
L2, L3, or L4 comprises the amino acid residue Y and one of the
other comprises the amino acid residue K, L5 and/or L6 individually
is K, and A, B, C, D, E is any amino acid, with the proviso, that
the distance between Y and K is at least 5 amino acids, such as at
least 7 amino acid residues, such as at least 9 amino acid
residues, such as at least 11 amino acid residue.
18. (Cancelled)
19. The compound according to claim 1, wherein the compound is a
dimer or a multimer, and thereby comprises a plurality of
monomers.
20. (Cancelled)
21. The compound according to claim 19, wherein the compound
comprises monomers independently capable of stimulating FGF
receptor signalling and/or modulating proliferation and/or inducing
differentiation and/or stimulating regeneration, neuronal
plasticity and/or survival of cells presenting an FGF receptor.
22. The compound according to claim 19, wherein the monomers are
homologous.
23. The compound according to claim 19, wherein the monomers are
heterologous.
24. The compound according to claim 21, wherein the FGF receptor
signalling is measured as phosphorylation of the FGF receptor when
a predetermined concentration of the compound is applied to cells
expressing the FGF receptor.
25. The compound according to claim 24, wherein the degree of
phoshorylation is at least 20% above the control value.
26. The compound according to claim 24, wherein the predetermined
concentration of said compound is 0.1-200 .mu.M.
27. The compound according to claim 1, consisting of 10-90 amino
acid residues.
28. The compound according to claim 1, consisting of 3 to 20 amino
acid residues.
29. The compound according to claim 1, capable of modulating
proliferation and/or differentiation and/or regeneration and/or
neuronal plasticity and/or survival of cells.
30. A pharmaceutical composition comprising at least one compound
as defined in claim 1.
31. The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 30, wherein
the compound is the NCAM Fn3,2 module, or a fragment thereof, or a
variant thereof.
32. The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 30, wherein
the compounds are formulated as dimers.
33. The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 30, wherein
the compounds are formulated as multimers.
34. The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 30 formulated
for oral, percutaneous, intramuscular, intravenous, intracranial,
intrathecal, intracerebroventricular, intranasal or pulmonal
administration.
35. The method according to claim 52, wherein the administration is
continuous.
36. A process of producing a pharmaceutical composition, comprising
mixing an effective amount of one or more of the compounds
according to claim 1, with one or more pharmaceutically acceptable
additives or carriers.
37. The method according to claim 52, wherein the compound as
defined in claim 1 is used in combination with a prosthetic
device.
38. The method according to claim 37, wherein the device is a
prosthetic nerve guide.
39. The method according to claim 38, wherein the prosthetic nerve
guide is characterised in that it comprises at least one compound
as defined in claim 1.
40-42. (Cancelled)
43. The method of claim 52 which comprises treatment of a disease
or condition of the central and peripheral nervous system.
44. The method according to claim 41, which comprises treatment of
a disease or condition of the muscles; or treatment of a disease or
condition of the gonads, the pancreas, or the kidney.
45. The method according to claim 52, which prevents cell death of
heart muscle cells.
46. The method according to claim 45, which results in
revascularisation.
47. The method according to claim 52, which promotes
wound-healing.
48. The method according to claims 52, which inhibits
angiogenesis.
49. The method according to claim 43, wherein the disease or
condition is a cancer.
50. The method according to claim 43, which results stimulation of
the ability to learn and/or of the short and/or long term
memory.
51. The method according to claim 43, which modulates proliferation
and/or differentiation and/or regeneration and/or neuronal
plasticity and/or survival of cells.
52. A method of treating a disease or condition which is treatable
with a compound of claim 1, which comprises administering to a
subject suffering from said disease or condition a therapeutically
effective amount of at least one compound of claim 1.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a compound comprising the
third Immunoglobulin (Ig3) module, and/or the fourth Immunoglobulin
(Ig4) module, and/or the fifth Immunoglobulin (Ig5) module, and/or
the first Fibronectin III (Fn3,1) module, and/or the second
Fibronectin III (Fn3,2) module of neural cell adhesion molecule
(NCAM), or a fragment, or a variant thereof, capable of interacting
with an Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) receptor and/or
Adenosine-Tri-Phosphate (ATP) and/or L1, and thereby the compounds
are capable of inducing differentiation, modulating proliferation,
stimulate regeneration, neuronal plasticity and/or survival of
cells. Further, the present invention relates to a pharmaceutical
composition comprising said compound, a process of producing a
pharmaceutical composition and the use of said compound.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) constitute a group of
proteins mediating adhesion between cells. A major group of CAMs
belongs to the immunoglobulin (Ig) superfamily characterised by the
presence of immunoglobulin domains. The neural cell adhesion
molecule (NCAM) is such a cell adhesion molecule of the Ig
superfamily that is particularly abundant in the nervous system.
NCAM is expressed on the external membrane of nerve cells. When an
NCAM molecule on one cell binds to another NCAM molecule on another
cell (homophilic binding), the binding between the two cells is
strengthened. NCAM not only binds to NCAM but also to other
proteins and/or glycoconjugates found on nerve cells or in the
extracellular matrix (heterophilic binding). NCAM also binds ATP.
NCAM interactions influence migration of cells, extension of
neurites, fasciculation of neurites, cell proliferation, cell
survival, and formation of synapses.
[0003] NCAM is encoded by a single gene, containing at least 25
exons. Due to alternative splicing of precursor mRNA, a variety of
mature mRNA species and thereby protein isoforms of NCAM can be
produced. Three major NCAM isoforms are generated by alternative
splicing of exons 15 and 18 determining the mode of attachment of
NCAM to the plasma membrane and the size of the intracellular NCAM
domains, respectively. In the nervous system a glycosylphosphatidyl
inositol (GPI) anchored 120 kDa isoform is expressed on the surface
of glial cells, a transmembrane 140 kDa isoform is expressed on
both neurons and glial cells, whereas a transmembrane 180 kDa
isoform is found predominantly on the surface of neurons. The
extracellular part of NCAM comprises five Ig-like homology modules
(Ig, Ig2, Ig3, Ig4 and Ig5) and two fibronectin type III modules
(F3,1 and F3,2) (Berezin et al., 2000).
[0004] Heterophilic ligands of NCAM comprise a variety of heparan
sulfate proteoglycans (e.g. agrin) and chondroitin sulfate
proteoglycans (e.g. neurocan). NCAM Ig1 and Ig2 are probably the
structural determinants of the interaction of NCAM with heparan
sulfate proteoglycans since these two modules have been shown to
bind heparin (Kiselyov et al. 1997). Reports on whether the core
protein or the carbohydrate moieties are responsible for the
binding of proteoglycans to NCAM are contradictory, and the
contribution of this interaction to NCAM-mediated cellular
functions is currently not understood (Retzler et al. 1996). The
neural cell adhesion molecule L1 and the fibroblast growth factor
(FGF) receptor are other heterophilic ligands of NCAM. The
interaction between NCAM and L1 has been shown to be mediated by
N-linked oligo-mannosidic glycans carried by L1 and a lectin-like
binding site localised in the fourth Ig module of NCAM. Through
this binding NCAM has been suggested to participate in a so-called
assisted L1-L1 homophilic interaction (Horstkorte et al., 1993)
presenting an interesting example of co-operation between two
neural CAMs.
[0005] Three different models of homophilic binding have been
suggested: 1) a binding between the third Ig-like modules (Rao et
al., 1992) of two opposing molecules; 2) involvement of all five
Ig-like modules in an antiparallel interaction (Ranheim et al.,
1996); and 3) a reciprocal binding of the first and second Ig-like
modules (Kiselyov et al., 1997). The latter model has recently been
confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis (Jensen et
al., 1999) and X-ray crystallography (Kasper et al., 2000).
[0006] NCAM plays a crucial role during the development of the
nervous system and of organs, such as kidney, bowel, heart, gonads,
pancreas, and muscles. In the mature nervous system NCAM is
important for the plasticity of neuronal connections associated
with regeneration, learning and memory. In the peripheral nervous
system NCAM is involved in the initiation of outgrowth of nerve
fibres and formation of nerve-muscle connections in regeneration
after damage including lesions.
[0007] In signal transduction NCAM transduces extracellular signals
leading to tyrosine phosphorylation, such as for example of the
FGF-receptor, and an increase in intracellular calcium
concentration.
[0008] Doherty and Walsh (1999) describe that NCAM, N-cadherin and
L1 stimulate axonal growth by activating the fibroblast growth
factor receptor (FGFR) in neurons.
[0009] NCAM binding compounds capable of stimulating
differentiation and/or neurite outgrowth from cells presenting NCAM
are disclosed in WO 00/18801, in which the compounds are used in
the treatment for regeneration of NCAM presenting cells.
[0010] The identification of one such compound, C3, is described by
R.o slashed.nn et al. (1999). C3 stimulates outgrowth by activating
a signalling pathway identical to that activated by homophilic NCAM
binding, but it does not bind directly to FGF receptors.
[0011] Various factors may cause neuronal cell death. Preventing
neuronal cell death in individuals being exposed to risk factors
causing cell death may be called maintaining/stimulating or
promoting survival of the cells, or it may be called
neuroprotection.
[0012] When neuronal cells are damaged, e.g. by reduced oxygen
supply, the processes of cell death start and lead to cellular
dysfunction, "collapse" of the intercellular communication between
cells (network), retraction of cell processes and eventually cell
death. Preventing neuronal cell death, i.e. stimulating/promoting
survival means that the cells are protected from initiation of the
processes of cell death.
[0013] Survival of nerve cells has been discussed in some
references, for example Hulley et al. (1998) disclose that the L1
neural cell adhesion molecule is capable of stimulating survival
and differentiation in fetal mid-brain dopaminergic neurons
cultured in the presence of the toxin MPP+.
[0014] U.S. Pat. No. 6,037,320 describes the identification of a
neurotrophic factor, NT-4 and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,767,240 an
activity-dependent neurotrophic factor capable of increasing the
survival of spinal cord neuronal cells, cerebral cortical cells and
hippocampal neurons is revealed.
[0015] Further, U.S. Pat. No. 5,567,682 concerns a method of
treating the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease by intranasal
administration of short chain peptides. The peptides promote
neuronal survival by reducing or halting progressive neuronal
degeneration.
[0016] NCAM has recently been demonstrated to have an
ecto-adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity (Dzhandzhugazyan
and Bock, 1993 and 1997). The role of this activity in ATP is one
of the most abundant neurotransmitters in the nervous system In a
recent study it has been demonstrated that ATP modulates NCAM
induced neurite outgrowth, indicating that ATP may be a regulator
of the putative NCAM-FGF-receptor signalling pathway (Skladchikova
et al., 1999).
[0017] However, the inventors of the present invention have
surprisingly found that a compound comprising the third
Immunoglobulin (Ig3) module, and/or the fourth Immunoglobulin (Ig4)
module, and/or the fifth Immunoglobulin (Ig5) module, and/or the
first Fibronectin III (Fn3,1) module, and/or the second Fibronectin
III (Fn3,2) module of neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), or a
fragment, or a variant thereof is capable of inducing
differentiation, modulating proliferation, stimulating
regeneration, neuronal plasticity and survival of cells through an
interaction with the Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) receptor and/or
adenosine-tri-phosphate (ATP) and/or L1.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0018] The present invention concerns a compound comprising the
third Immunoglobulin (Ig3) module, and/or the fourth Immunoglobulin
(Ig4) module, and/or the fifth Immunoglobulin (Ig5>module,
and/or the first Fibronectin III (Fn3,1) module, and/or the second
Fibronectin III (Fn3,2) module of neural cell adhesion molecule
(NCAM), or a fragment, or a variant thereof, capable of interacting
with Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) receptor and/or
Adenosine-Tri-Phosphate (ATP) and/or L1. In the present context
first Fibronectin III module and second Fibronectin III module are
equal to the denomination "F3,1 and F3,2" or "FnIII,1 and FnIII,2"
or "Fn3,1 and Fn3,2".
[0019] In a further aspect the invention concerns a compound
comprising the fourth Immunoglobulin (Ig4) module, and/or the fifth
Immunoglobulin (Ig5) module, and/or the first Fibronectin III
(Fn3,1) module, and/or the second Fibronectin III (Fn3,2) module of
neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), or a fragment, or a variant,
capable of interacting with the FGF receptor and/or
adenosine-tri-phosphate (ATP) and/or L1.
[0020] The compound of the invention is capable of inducing
differentiation, modulating proliferation, stimulate regeneration,
neuronal plasticity and survival of cells presenting the FGF
receptor and/or NCAM ligand presenting cells.
[0021] Further, the invention describes a pharmaceutical
composition comprising at least one compound of the invention, and
a process of producing such a pharmaceutical composition. Also, the
use of a compound of the invention is within the scope of the
invention as well as a method for treating diseases and conditions
with the compound.
FIGURES
[0022] FIG. 1. shows the structure of NCAM F3,2 determined by means
of .sup.1H, .sup.15N NMR spectros copy. Structure of the second F3
module of NCAM, a) Stereo view of an overlay of the backbone atoms
of 30 superimposed structures, b) Ribbon representation of the
structure. The structure consists of 7 anti-parallel .beta.-strands
arranged in a sandwich of two .beta.-sheets, one containing three
strands (ABE) and the other four strands (CDFG).
[0023] FIG. 2. Demonstration of interaction between the second F3
module of NCAM and the third Ig module of the FGF-receptor or ATP.
a-d) Changes in the chemical shifts of .sup.1H and .sup.15N atoms
of 0.05 mM .sup.15N labeled sample of the second F3 module of NCAM
after addition of 1 mM unlabeled sample of the third Ig module of
the FGF-receptor (a, b) or 5 mM AMP-PCP (c, d). e) Mapping of the
residues of the second F3 module of NCAM with changes in the
chemical shifts (in the presence of the third Ig module of the
FGF-receptor) greater than 0.006 ppm for .sup.1H or 0.03 ppm for
.sup.15N atoms, onto the structure of the module. The residues with
strong changes in the chemical shifts (greater than 0.01 ppm for
.sup.1H or 0.1 ppm for .sup.15N atoms) are colored blue (shown by
A) and with weak changes--red (shown by B); all other residues are
colored yellow (shown by C). f) Mapping of the residues of the
second F3 module perturbed by AMP-PCP (blue color--shown by C) and
the residues of the ATP binding Walker motif A (red color--shown by
A) and Lys 85 (green color--shown by B) to the structure of the
module; all other residues are colored yellow (shown by D). g) A
possible arrangement of the complex of the second F3 module of NCAM
with ATP.
[0024] FIG. 3. Effect of the second F3 module, its FGF-receptor
binding part (the FG loop peptide) on phosphorylation of the
FGF-receptor 1. HEK293 cells, transiently transfected with a
His-tagged version of the FGF-receptor 1, were stimulated for 20
min with either 5 .mu.g/ml F3,2 module or 50 .mu.g/ml FG loop
peptide. a) The total amount of the FGF-receptor 1 and the amount
of the FGF-receptor phosphorylation was estimated by immunoblotting
using anti-pentahis (anti-His) and anti-phosphotyrosine
(anti-P-tyr) antibodies, respectively. b) Quantification of the
FGF-receptor phosphorylation by densitometric analysis of the band
intensity. Phosphorylation was estimated relative to the control
(untreated cells), which has been normalized to 1.0. Error bar
represents one standard deviation (SD). P<0.05 by paired t test
comparing treated cells with controls. The t test was performed on
array of six independent sets of non-normalized data.
[0025] FIG. 4. Effect of the second F3 module and its FGF-receptor
binding part (the FG loop peptide) on neurite outgrowth from
hippocampal neurons. a) Micrographs of the control (untreated)
neurons. b) Micrographs of neurons treated with 5 .mu.M second F3
module. c) Plot of the neurite length versus the concentration of
the second F3 module, the FG-loop peptide and a truncated version
of the peptide. d) Effect of an anti-FGF-receptor antibody on
neurite outgrowth induced by 5 .mu.M second F3 module or 50 .mu.M
FG loop peptide.
[0026] FIG. 5. Effect of various modifications of the FG loop
peptide and a peptide derived from basic FGF on their peptides
potency to stimulate neurite outgrowth from hippocampal neurons.
Concentration of the various peptides was 50 .mu.M. a) Effect of
truncations and substitutions of the various amino acids with Ala
in the FG loop peptide or truncated versions of the peptide. b)
effect of substitution of the various amino acids with Ala in a
peptide derived from basic FGF.
[0027] FIG. 6. Sequential and structural similarity between
heptameric peptides derived from the FGF-receptor binding part of
NCAM and basic FGF. a) Sequential alignment of the heptamers, in
which signs ".vertline.", ".linevert split.", ":", and ".cndot."
indicate the level of similarity in a decreasing order from strong
to low similarity. b) Structural alignment of the backbone atoms of
the heptamers from NCAM (blue color--shown by A) and basic FGF (red
color--shown by B).
[0028] FIG. 7. Effect of ATP (a) and AMP-PCP (b) on the potency of
the second F3 module, the FG loop peptide and a modified version of
the peptide to stimulate neurite outgrowth from hippocampal
neurons. Neurons were stimulated with either 5 .mu.M second F3
module or 50 .mu.M peptide in the presence of various
concentrations of ATP or AMP-PCP (0, 0.4, 1.0 mM). "cnt" stands for
control, "F3"--the second F3 module, "FGL"--the FG loop peptide,
and "YKK"--the FGL peptide in which Tyr 74, Lys 83 and Lys 85 were
substituted for Ala.
[0029] FIG. 8. Cerebellar granule neurons from seven days old rats
were grown in the presence of 40 mM potassium. The cells were
subsequently transferred to serum-free medium containing only five
mM potassium and grown for two days in serum-free medium
supplemented with various concentrations of he FGL-peptide (see
FIG. 8). Subsequently, the number of cells were determined and the
amount of cells surviving in the presence of high-concentration of
potassium was set at 100%. As can be seen approx. Only 60% survived
in the presence of brains-derived neurotrophic factor or basic
fibroblast growth factor. When FGL was added in a sode-range of
2-250 microgram per ml statistically significant survival was
observed up to 90% of the positive control at a dose of 250
microgram per ml of the monomeric form of the FGL peptide.
[0030] FIG. 9a. Peptides derived from the FG-lops of the neural
cell adhesion molecules L1 and NCAM (third F3-module of L1 and
first F3 module of NCAM) were prepared in different lengths, see
FIG. 9a, and their effect on neurite outgrowth from primary
hippocampal neurons were tested adding the various peptides in a
concentration of 25 microM. FIG. 9b. The NCAM peptides are referred
to as FN3,1 and the L1 peptides are referred to as L1. The variants
indicated in FIG. 9a are indicated by the number of amino acids in
each peptide. As can be seen from the figure, the peptides had a
stimulatory effect on neurite outgrowth reaching statistically
significance for the nine amino acid variant of the Fgloop of first
fibronectin type III module of NCAM and the nine amino acid variant
of the FG-loop of the third fibronectin type III-module of L1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0031] The compound according to the invention relates to the
induction of differentiation, modulation of proliferation,
stimulation of regeneration, neuronal plasticity and survival of
cells.
[0032] By the term FGL peptide is meant FG loop peptide of NCAM,
which is an FGF receptor binding site of NCAM corresponding to SEQ
ID NO: 1.
[0033] By the term "modulation" is meant a change, for example
either an inhibition or a stimulation.
[0034] In the present context the term "interacting" refers to the
direct or indirect contact between a compound of the invention and
the FGF receptor, preferably a direct interaction. The term "direct
interaction" means that the compound in question binds directly to
the receptor.
[0035] By the term "cells presenting the FGF receptor" is meant
cells expressing the FGF receptor on the external membrane of the
cells, these cells are for example neurons, glial cells, all types
of muscle cells, neuroendocrine cells, gonadal cells and kidney
cells, endothelial cells and fibroblasts.
[0036] By the term "cells presenting an NCAM ligand" is meant cells
expressing a receptor or ligand whereto NCAM and/or parts of NCAM
may bind (i.e.: so-called counter-receptor). Examples of NCAM
ligands are the FGF (fibroblast growth factor) receptor, L1 or
glyco-conjugates or glucose-aminoglycans, such as heparin, heparan
sulphateproteoglycans, and chondroitin sulphate proteoglycans and
ATP.
[0037] In the present context the wording "stimulate/promote
survival" is used synonymously with the wording "preventing cell
death" or "neuroprotection". By stimulating/promoting survival it
is possible to prevent diseases or prevent further degeneration of
the nervous system in individuals suffering from a degenerative
disorder.
[0038] "Survival" refers to the process, wherein a cell has been
traumatised and would under normal circumstances, with a high
probability die, if not the compound of the invention was used to
prevent said cell from degenerating, and thus promoting or
stimulating survival of said traumatised cell.
[0039] "Neuronal plasticity" refers to the capability of
remodelling neuronal connections.
[0040] Peripheral nerve cells possess to a limited extent a
potential to regenerate and re-establish functional connections
with their targets after various injuries. However, functional
recovery is rarely complete and peripheral nerve cell damage
remains a considerable problem. In the central nervous system, the
potential for regeneration is even more limited. Therefore, the
identification of substances with the ability to prevent neuronal
cell death in the peripheral and the central nervous system is
significant and of great commercial value.
[0041] Accordingly, the present invention relates to the finding
that a compound comprising the third Immunoglobulin (Ig3) module,
and/or the fourth Immunoglobulin (Ig4) module, and/or the fifth
Immunoglobulin (Ig5) module, and/or the first Fibronectin III
(F3,1) module, and/or the second Fibronectin III (F3,2) module of
neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), or a fragment, or a variant,
is capable of interacting with the Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF)
receptor and or Adenosine-Tri-Phosphate (ATP) and/or L1.
[0042] In the present context the NCAM molecule referred to is NCAM
having the sequence shown in database SWISSPROT, accession No:
P13591
[0043] In this sequence the position of the domains mentioned
herein are as follows:
1 lg3: 203-308 lg4: 309-404 lg5: 405-500 F3,1: 501-601 F3,2:
602-695
[0044] Further the invention concerns the finding that a compound
comprising the fourth Immunoglobulin (Ig4) module, and/or the fifth
Immunoglobulin (Ig5) module, and/or the first Fibronectin III
(Fn3,1) module, and/or the second Fibronectin III (Fn3,2) module of
neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), or a fragment, or a variant
thereof, is capable of interacting, with the FGF receptor and/or
Adenosine-Tri-Phosphate (ATP) and/or L1, such as a compound
comprising the fourth Immunoglobulin (Ig4) module, and/or the first
Fibronectin III (Fn3,1) module, and/or the second Fibronectin III
(Fn3,2) module of neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), or a
fragment, or a variant thereof, is capable of interacting with the
FGF receptor and/or Adenosine-Tri-Phosphate (ATP) and/or L1, or
such as a compound comprising the fifth Immunoglobulin (Ig5)
module, and/or the first Fibronectin III (Fn3,1) module, and/or the
second Fibronectin III (Fn3,2) module of neural cell adhesion
molecule (NCAM), or a fragment, or a variant thereof, is capable of
interacting with the FGF receptor and/or Adenosine-Tri-Phosphate
(ATP) and/or L1, such as a compound comprising the first
Fibronectin III (Fn3,1) module, and/or the second Fibronectin III
(Fn3,2) module of neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), or a
fragment, or a variant thereof, is capable of interacting with the
FGF receptor and/or Adenosine-Tri-Phosphate (ATP) and/or L1.
[0045] In the present context the "fragment thereof" is to be
understood as being any part of the NCAM molecule capable of
interacting with an FGF-receptor and/or ATP and/or L1 and through
said binding modulate proliferation, and/or induce differentiation,
and/or stimulate regeneration, neuronal plasticity and/or survival
of cells. The "variant thereof" is to be understood as being any
peptide sequence capable of interacting with FGF-receptors and/or
ATP and/or L1, and via said binding induce differentiation,
modulate proliferation, stimulate regeneration, neuronal plasticity
and survival of cells. Thus, fragment or variant may be defined
as
[0046] i) Fragments/variants comprising an amino acid sequence
capable of being recognised by an antibody also capable of
recognising the predetermined NCAM amino acid sequence, and/or
[0047] ii) Fragments/variants comprising an amino acid sequence
capable of binding to a receptor moiety also capable of binding the
predetermined NCAM amino acid sequence, and/or
[0048] iii) Fragments/variants having at least a substantially
similar binding affinity to at least one FGF receptor and/or ATP
and/or L1 as said predetermined NCAM amino acid sequence.
[0049] In the present context the term "functional equivalent"
means a variant as defined above.
[0050] The binding affinity of the compound according to the
invention preferably has a binding affinity (Kd value) to NCAM
and/or the NCAM ligand in the range of 10.sup.-3 to 10.sup.-10 M,
such as preferably in the range of 10.sup.-4 to 10.sup.-8 M.
According to the present invention the binding affinity is
determined by one of the following assays of surface plasmon
resonance analysis or nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
[0051] In the present context, a variant of the NCAM domains
mentioned above is to be understood as being any compound
interacting with any cell presenting a FGF receptor or an NCAM
ligand, and/or L1 and through said interaction modulates
proliferation, and/or induce differentiation, and/or stimulate
regeneration, neuronal plasticity and/or survival of FGF receptor
presenting cells, i.e. functional variants. Variants may be
peptides, peptide derivatives, antibodies and non-peptide compounds
such as small organic compounds, sugars and fats, as well as
peptido-mimetics. In a preferred embodiment the variant is a
peptide as discussed above.
[0052] In one embodiment variants may be understood to exhibit
amino acid sequences gradually differing from the preferred
predetermined sequence, as the number and scope of insertions,
deletions and substitutions including conservative substitutions
increase. This difference is measured as a reduction in homology
between the predetermined sequence and the variant.
[0053] The peptides may be modified, for example by substitution of
one or more of the amino acid residues. Both L-amino acids and
D-amino acids may be used. Other modification may comprise
derivatives such as esters, sugars, etc. Examples are methyl and
acetyl esters. Polymerisation such as repetitive sequences or
attachment to various carriers are well-known in the art, e.g.
lysine backbones, such as lysine dendrimers carrying 4 peptides, 8
peptides, 16 peptides, or 32 peptides. Other carriers may be
protein moieties, such as bovine serum albumin (BSA), or lipophilic
dendrimers, or micelle-like carriers formed by lipophilic
derivatives, or starburst (star-like) carbon chain polymer
conjugates.
[0054] Variants of the fragments according to the invention may
comprise, within the same variant, or fragments thereof or among
different variants, or fragments thereof, at least one
substitution, such as a plurality of substitutions introduced
independently of one another. Variants of the complex, or fragments
thereof may thus comprise conservative substitutions independently
of one another, wherein at least one glycine (Gly) of said variant,
or fragments thereof is substituted with an amino acid selected
from the group of amino acids consisting of Ala, Val, Leu, and Ile,
and independently thereof, variants, or fragments thereof, wherein
at least one alanine (Ala) of said variants, or fragments thereof
is substituted with an amino acid selected from the group of amino
acids consisting of Gly, Val, Leu, and Ile, and independently
thereof, variants, or fragments thereof, wherein at least one
valine (Val) of said variant, or fragments thereof is substituted
with an amino acid selected from the group of amino acids
consisting of Gly, Ala, Leu, and Ile, and independently thereof,
variants, or fragments thereof, wherein at least one leucine (Leu)
of said variant, or fragments thereof is substituted with an amino
acid selected from the group of amino acids consisting of Gly, Ala,
Val, and Ile, and independently thereof, variants, or fragments
thereof, wherein at least one isoleucine (Ile) of said variants, or
fragments thereof is substituted with an amino acid selected from
the group of amino acids consisting of Gly, Ala, Val and Leu, and
independently thereof, variants, or fragments thereof wherein at
least one aspartic acids (Asp) of said variant, or fragments
thereof is substituted with an amino acid selected from the group
of amino acids consisting of Glu, Asn, and Gln, and independently
thereof, variants, or fragments thereof, wherein at least one
aspargine (Asn) of said variants, or fragments thereof is
substituted with an amino acid selected from the group of amino
acids consisting of Asp, Glu, and Gln, and independently thereof,
variants, or fragments thereof, wherein at least one glutamine
(Gln) of said variants, or fragments thereof is substituted with an
amino acid selected from the group of amino acids consisting of
Asp, Glu, and Asn, and wherein at least one phenylalanine (Phe) of
said variants, or fragments thereof is substituted with an amino
acid selected from the group of amino acids consisting of Tyr, Trp,
His, Pro, and preferably selected from the group of amino acids
consisting of Tyr and Trp, and independently thereof, variants, or
fragments thereof, wherein at least one tyrosine (Tyr) of said
variants, or fragments thereof is substituted with an amino acid
selected from the group of amino acids consisting of Phe, Trp, His,
Pro, preferably an amino acid selected from the group of amino
acids consisting of Phe and Trp, and independently thereof,
variants, or fragments thereof, wherein at least one arginine (Arg)
of said fragment is substituted with an amino acid selected from
the group of amino acids consisting of Lys and His, and
independently thereof, variants, or fragments thereof, wherein at
least one lysine (Lys) of said variants, or fragments thereof is
substituted with an amino acid selected from the group of amino
acids consisting of Arg and His, and independently thereof,
variants, or fragments thereof, and independently thereof,
variants, or fragments thereof, and wherein at least one proline
(Pro) of said variants, or fragments thereof is substituted with an
amino acid selected from the group of amino acids consisting of
Phe, Tyr, Trp, and His, and independently thereof, variants, or
fragments thereof, wherein at least one cysteine (Cys) of said
variants, or fragments thereof is substituted with an amino acid
selected from the group of amino acids consisting of Asp, Glu, Lys,
Arg, His, Asn, Gln, Ser, Thr, and Tyr.
[0055] It is clear from the above outline that the same equivalent
or fragment thereof may comprise more than one conservative amino
acid substitution from more than one group of conservative amino
acids as defined herein above.
[0056] Conservative substitutions may be introduced in any position
of a preferred predetermined peptide of the invention or fragment
thereof. It may however also be desirable to introduce
non-conservative substitutions, particularly, but not limited to, a
non-conservative substitution in any one or more positions.
[0057] A non-conservative substitution leading to the formation of
a functionally equivalent fragment of the peptide of the invention
would for example differ substantially in polarity, for example a
residue with a non-polar side chain (Ala, Leu, Pro, Trp, Val, Ile,
Leu, Phe or Met) substituted for a residue with a polar side chain
such as Gly, Ser, Thr, Cys, Tyr, Asn, or Gln or a charged amino
acid such as Asp, Glu, Arg, or Lys, or substituting a charged or a
polar residue for a non-polar one; and/or ii) differ substantially
in its effect on peptide backbone orientation such as substitution
of or for Pro or Gly by another residue; and/or iii) differ
substantially in electric charge, for example substitution of a
negatively charged residue such as Glu or Asp for a positively
charged residue such as Lys, His or Arg (and vice versa); and/or
iv) differ substantially in steric bulk, for example substitution
of a bulky residue such as His, Trp, Phe or Tyr for one having a
minor side chain, e.g. Ala, Gly or Ser (and vice versa).
[0058] Substitution of amino acids may in one embodiment be made
based upon their hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity values and the
relative similarity of the amino acid side-chain substituents,
including charge, size, and the like. Exemplary amino acid
substitutions which take various of the foregoing characteristics
into consideration are well known to those of skill in the art and
include: arginine and lysine; glutamate and aspartate; serine and
threonine; glutamine and asparagine; and valine, leucine and
isoleucine.
[0059] The addition or deletion of an amino acid may be an addition
or deletion of from 2 to preferably 10 amino acids, such as from 2
to 8 amino acids, for example from 2 to 6 amino acids, such as from
2 to 4 amino acids. However, additions of more than 10 amino acids,
such as additions from 2 to 10 amino acids, are also comprised
within the present invention. In the multimeric forms
additions/deletions may be made individually in each monomer of the
multimer.
[0060] The invention also concerns non-peptide variants of the
compounds disclosed herein. In particular, such variants should be
understood to be compounds which bind to or in other ways interact
with a Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) receptor and/or
Adenosine-Tri-Phosphate (ATP) and/or L1 and thereby stimulating FGF
receptor signalling and/or modulating proliferation and/or inducing
differentiation and/or stimulating regeneration, neuronal
plasticity and/or survival of cells presenting an FGF receptor.
[0061] It will thus be understood that the invention concerns a
compound comprising at least one fragment capable of binding at
least one receptor, or a variant thereof including any variants and
functional equivalents of such at least one fragment.
[0062] A functional equivalent obtained by substitution may well
exhibit some form or degree of native NCAM activity, and yet be
less homologous, if residues containing functionally similar amino
acid side chains are substituted. Functionally similar in the
present respect refers to dominant characteristics of the side
chains such as hydrophobic, basic, neutral or acidic, or the
presence or absence of steric bulk. Accordingly, in one embodiment
of the invention, the degree of identity between i) a given
functional equivalent capable of effect and ii) a preferred
predetermined fragment, is not a principal measure of the fragment
as a variant or functional equivalent of a preferred predetermined
peptide fragment according to the present invention.
[0063] Fragments sharing at least some homology with a preferred
predetermined fragment of at least 3 amino acids, more preferably
at least 5 amino acids, are to be considered as falling within the
scope of the present invention when they are at least about 25
percent homologous with the preferred predetermined NCAM peptide,
or fragment thereof, such as at least about 30 percent homologous,
for example at least about 40 percent homologous, such as at least
about 50 percent homologous, for example at least about 55 percent
homologous, such as at least about 60 percent homologous, for
example at least about 65 percent homologous, such as at least
about 70 percent homologous, such as at least about 75 percent
homologous, for example at least about 80 percent homologous, such
as at least about 85 percent homologous.
[0064] Sequence identity can be measured using sequence analysis
software (for example, the Sequence Analysis Software Package of
the Genetics Computer Group, University of Wisconsin Biotechnology
Centre, 1710 University Avenue, Madison, Wis. 53705), with the
default parameters as specified therein.
[0065] Throughout the description and claims either the three
letter code or the one letter code for natural amino acids are
used. Where the L or D form has not been specified it is to be
understood that the amino acid in question has the natural L form,
cf. Pure & Appl. Chem. Vol. (56(5) pp 595-624 (1984) or the D
form, so that the peptides formed may be constituted of amino acids
of L form, D form, or a sequence of mixed L forms and D forms.
[0066] Where nothing is specified it is to be understood that the
C-terminal amino acid of a polypeptide of the invention exists as
the free carboxylic acid, this may also be specified as "--OH".
However, the C-terminal amino acid of a compound of the invention
may be the amidated derivative, which is indicated as "--NH.sub.2".
Where nothing else is stated the N-terminal amino acid of a
polypeptide comprise a free amino-group, this may also be specified
as "H--".
[0067] Where nothing else is specified amino acid can be selected
from any amino acid, whether naturally occurring or not, such as
alfa amino acids, beta amino acids, and/or gamma amino acids.
Accordingly, the group comprises but are not limited to: Ala, Val,
Leu, Ile, Pro, Phe, Trp, Met, Gly, Ser, Thr, Cys, Tyr, Asn, Gln,
Asp, Glu, Lys, Arg, His Aib, Nal, Sar, Orn, Lysine analogues DAP
and DAPA., 4Hyp
[0068] In one aspect of the invention the compound comprises the
first Fibronectin III (F3,1) module of NCAM, or a fragment, or a
variant thereof.
[0069] More particularly the invention relates to a compound
comprising the first Fibronectin III (F3,1) module of neural cell
adhesion molecule (NCAM), or a fragment, or a variant thereof
capable of interacting with the FGF receptor.
[0070] Thus, in one preferred embodiment of the invention the
compound comprises an amino acid sequence of the formula
L1-A-L2-B-L3-C-L4
[0071] wherein
[0072] one of A, B, C is selected from a basic amino acid,
[0073] one of A, B, C is selected from a hydrophobic amino
acid,
[0074] one of A, B, C is glycine, and
[0075] L1, L2, L3, L4 may be selected from a chemical bond or an
amino acid sequence having n amino acid residues, wherein n is an
integer of from 0 to 5.
[0076] In yet another embodiment B is glycine, A is a basic amino
acid residue, and C is a hydrophobic amino acid residue.
[0077] Further, in another embodiment A is lysine (K) or arginine
(R), and C is leucine (L) or alanine (A).
[0078] In another embodiment the compound of the invention
comprises the sequence NGKGL (Aspargine, Glycine, Lysine, Glycine,
Leucine), NGKGA, NGRGL and/or NGRGA. The sequence NGRGL is for
example found in L1 and the sequence NGKGL is for example found in
F3,1 of NCAM.
[0079] The invention further discloses that F3,2 is a ligand of the
FGF receptor and is capable of interacting with cells presenting
the FGF receptor. Thus, in another aspect of the invention the
compound comprises a peptide homologous to the FG loop of the
second FnIII module of the NCAM molecule, or a fragment, or a
variant thereof.
[0080] A fragment comprising the FG loop of the F3,2 module of NCAM
is particularly preferred. However, the invention is not limited to
fragments of the F3,2 module comprising the FG loop. Deletions of
such fragments generating functionally equivalent fragments
comprising less than the FG loop are also comprised within the
present invention. Functionally equivalent peptides and fragments
thereof according to the present invention, may comprise less or
more amino acid residues than the FG loop of the F3,2 module
capable of binding to cells presenting an FGF receptor and/or NCAM
ligands.
[0081] All functional equivalents of F3,2 peptides are included
within the scope of this invention, regardless of the degree of
homology that they show to a predetermined sequence of the F3,2
peptide or FG loop. The reason for this is that some parts of the
binding regions are most likely readily mutatable, or capable of
being peptide deleted, without any significant effect on the
binding activity of the resulting fragment.
[0082] Such a peptide, fragment or variant may be a compound
comprising an amino acid sequence of the formula
L1-A-L2-B-L3-C-L4-D-L5
[0083] wherein
[0084] one of A, B, C, D is selected from a basic amino acid
residue,
[0085] one of A, B, C, D is selected from a hydrophobic amino acid
residue,
[0086] one of A, B, C, D is selected from an acidic amino acid
residue,
[0087] one of A, B, C, D is glycine, and
[0088] L1, L2, L3, L4 and L5 may be selected from a chemical bond
or an amino acid sequence having n amino acid residues, wherein n
is an integer of from 0 to 5.
[0089] In particular a peptide, fragment or variant may be a
compound comprising an amino acid sequence of the formula
A-B-L3-L4-C-L4 wherein
[0090] A is a hydrophobic amino acid residue,
[0091] B is an acidic amino acid residue,
[0092] L3 is one or more hydrophilic amino acid residue(s),
[0093] L4 is an amino acid sequence as defined above for L4,
and
[0094] C is glycine.
[0095] In a preferred embodiment the compound comprise an amino
acid sequence with the formula
AENQ-L4-G,
[0096] wherein A, E, N, Q, and G are the one-letter notation for
amino acid residues, and L4 may be selected from a chemical bond or
an amino acid sequence having n amino acid residues, wherein n is
an integer of from 0 to 5.
[0097] In another embodiment a peptide, fragment or variant
according to the invention may comprise a peptide homologous to the
FG loop of the Fn3,2 module of the NCAM molecule, or a fragment, or
a variant thereof. In one embodiment of the invention the peptide
comprises a sequence having the amino acid residue motif
A-E-N-Q-X-X-K, wherein X may be any amino acid residue. X may for
example be selected individually from Glutamine (Q), Alanine (A),
Glycine (G) and/or Asparagine (N).
[0098] In particular a peptide, fragment or variant may be a
compound comprising an amino acid sequence of the formula
A-L2-B-L3-L4-C-L4 wherein
[0099] A is a hydrophobic amino acid residue,
[0100] L2 may be selected from a chemical bond or an amino acid
sequence having n amino acid residues, wherein n is an integer of
from 0 to 5
[0101] B is a basic amino acid residue,
[0102] L3 is one or more hydrophilic amino acid residue(s),
[0103] L4 may be selected from a chemical bond or an amino acid
sequence having n amino acid residues, wherein n is an integer of
from 0 to 5, and
[0104] C is glycine.
[0105] In a preferred embodiment the compound comprise an amino
acid sequence with the formula
AM-B-L3-L4-G,
[0106] wherein A, M, and G are the one-letter notation for amino
acid residues, L3 is one or more hydrophilic amino acid residue(s),
and L4 may be selected from a chemical bond or an amino acid
sequence having n amino acid residues, wherein n is an integer of
from 0 to 5.
[0107] Examples may be the following sequence: AMKEDGR (SEQ ID NO:
7)
[0108] In yet another aspect of the invention the compound is
capable of binding adenosine-tri-phosphate (ATP). Without being
bound by theory it is speculated that release of ATP from the
synapse may effect the coupling between NCAM and the FGF-receptor
and therefore regulate the axonal growth in the area of a newly
formed synaptic contact, i.e. that ATP indirectly effects the
plasticity in the area of synaptic contact.
[0109] In one such embodiment the compound comprises a sequence of
the formula
L1-A-L2-B-L3-C-L4-D-L5-E-L6, wherein
[0110] at least one of L1, L2, L3, or L4 comprises the amino acid
residue Y and one of the other comprises the amino acid residue K,
and L5 and/or L6 individually is K, and A, B, C, D, E is any amino
acid, with the proviso, that the distance between Y and K is at
least 5 amino acids, such as at least 7 amino acid residues, such
as at least 9 amino acid residues, such as at least 11 amino acid
residues.
[0111] It is preferred that the amino acid Y is in closer proximity
to the N-terminal than the amino acid K.
[0112] In a further embodiment of the invention the compound
comprises a sequence of the formula A-Xaa-B-C--C, wherein
[0113] A is tyrosine (Y),
[0114] B is glycine (G),
[0115] C is lysine (K), and
[0116] Xaa is any amino acid
[0117] In a preferred embodiment the compound according to the
invention comprises at least one peptide comprising the
sequence
2 EVYVVAENQQGKSKA, (SEQ ID NO 1) EVAVVAENQQGASAA, (SEQ ID NO 2)
VAENQQGKS, (SEQ ID NO 3) AENQQGKS, (SEQ ID NO 4) AENQQGK, (SEQ ID
NO 5) AENQAGK, (SEQ ID NO 6) AMKEDGR, (SEQ ID NO 7) ALNGKGLG, (SEQ
ID NO 8) AFNGRGLG, (SEQ ID NO 9) LNGKGLG, (SEQ ID NO 10) LNGKGL,
(SEQ ID NO 11) ALNGKG, (SEQ ID NO 12) LNGNALGE, (SEQ ID NO 13)
LNGKALG, (SEQ ID NO 14) ALNGKAL, (SEQ ID NO 15) ALNLKGLGD, (SEQ ID
NO 16) LNGKELG, (SEQ ID NO 17) LTGKGLAE, (SEQ ID NO 18) LKGKGLEE,
(SEQ ID NO 19) LNSKGLVE, (SEQ ID NO 20) LNGKALVE, (SEQ ID NO 21)
LAAKGLGE, (SEQ ID NO 22) LDGKGL, (SEQ ID NO 23) KGLGE, (SEQ ID NO
24) DGKSLGE, (SEQ ID NO 25) NGKGL, (SEQ ID NO 26) NGRGL, (SEQ ID NO
27) QAFNGRGLGP, (SEQ ID NO 28) EVQAFNGRGLGPPAS, (SEQ ID NO 29)
AALNGKGLGE, (SEQ ID NO 30) RLAALNGKGLGEIS, (SEQ ID NO 31) ALNGKGAP,
(SEQ ID NO 32) VALNGKGAPR, (SEQ ID NO 33) MYVALNGKGAPRRQ, (SEQ ID
NO 34) LNGRG, (SEQ ID NO 35) LNGKG, (SEQ ID NO 36) MYVALNGKGAPRRGQ,
(SEQ ID NO 37) MFLALDRRGGPRPGG, (SEQ ID NO 38) MFLALDSQGIPRQGQ,
(SEQ ID NO 39) MFVALNQKGIPVRG, (SEQ ID NO 40) MFVALNQKGIPVKG, (SEQ
ID NO 41) MFVALNQKGLPVKG, (SEQ ID NO 42) WYVSVNGKGRPRRG, (SEQ ID NO
43) YYVALNKDGTPREG, (SEQ ID NO 44) YYVALNKDGSPREG, (SEQ ID NO 45)
YFVALNKDGTPRDG, (SEQ ID NO 46) WYVALNKRGKAKRG, (SEQ ID NO 47)
WYLGLNKEGEIMKG, (SEQ ID NO 48) WFLGLNKEGQIMKG, (SEQ ID NO 49)
TYIALSKYGRVKRG, (SEQ ID NO 50) WFLGLNKEGQAMKG, (SEQ ID NO 51)
WFLGLNKEGQVMKG, (SEQ ID NO 52) WYLGLDKEGQVMKG, (SEQ ID NO 53)
WYLGLDKEGRVMKG, (SEQ ID NO 54) WYVALKRTGQYKLG, (SEQ ID NO 55)
WFVGLKKNGSCKRG, (SEQ ID NO 56) ANRYLAMKEDGRLLAS, (SEQ ID NO 57)
TGQYLAMDTEGLLYGS, (SEQ ID NO 58) TGQYLAMDTDGLLYGS, (SEQ ID NO 59)
TGQYLAMDTSGLLYGS, (SEQ ID NO 60) TGQFLAMDTDGLLYGS, (SEQ ID NO 61)
SRFFVAMSSKGKLYGS, (SEQ ID NO 62) SRFFVAMSSRGKLFGV, (SEQ ID NO 63)
SRFFVAMSSRGRLYGS, (SEQ ID NO 64) SGLFVAMNSKGKLYGS, (SEQ ID NO 65)
SNKFLAMSKKGKLHAS, (SEQ ID NO 66) SALFVAMNSKGRLYAT, (SEQ ID NO 67)
SALFIAMNSKGRLYTT, (SEQ ID NO 68) SGRYLAMNKRGRLYAS, (SEQ ID NO 69)
SEYYLAMNKEGKLYAK, (SEQ ID NO 70) SEYYLAMNKQGLYAK, (SEQ ID NO 71)
SEFYLAMNKEGKLYAK, (SEQ ID NO 72) SGLYLGMNEKGELYGS, (SEQ ID NO 73)
SGLYLGMNDKGELYGS, (SEQ ID NO 74) SGLYLGMNERGELYGS, (SEQ ID NO 75)
SGLYLGMNERGELFGS, (SEQ ID NO 76) SNYYLAMNKKGKLYGS, (SEQ ID NO 77)
SGFYVAMNRRGRLYGS, (SEQ ID NO 78) TGLYIAMNGEGYLYPS, (SEQ ID NO 79)
ASLYVAMNGEGYLYSS, (SEQ ID NO 80) TKLYLAMNSEGYLYTS, (SEQ ID NO 81)
TGLYICMNKKGKLIAKS, (SEQ ID NO 82) LGHYMAMNAEGLLYSS, (SEQ ID NO 83)
TEFYLCMNRKGKLVGK, (SEQ ID NO 84) SVRYLCMGADGKMQGL, (SEQ ID NO 85)
WFVGLKKNGS CKRG, (SEQ ID NO 86) WYVALKRTGQ YKLG, (SEQ ID NO 87)
WYVSVNGKGR PRRG, (SEQ ID NO 88) GMFIALSKNG KTKKG, (SEQ ID NO 89)
GMFMALSKNG RTKKG, (SEQ ID NO 91) GMFIALSKNG KAKKG, (SEQ ID NO 92)
WYVALNKRGK AKRG, (SEQ ID NO 93) TYIALSKYGR VKRG, (SEQ ID NO 94)
MFVALNQKGI PVRG, (SEQ ID NO 95) MFVALNQKGI PVKG, (SEQ ID NO 96)
MFVALNQKGL PVKG, (SEQ ID NO 97) WYMAFTRKGR PRKG, (SEQ ID NO 98)
YYVALNKDGT PREG, (SEQ ID NO 99) MYVALNGKGA PRRGQ, (SEQ ID NO 100)
WYLGLDKEGQ VMKG, (SEQ ID NO 101) WYLGLDKEGR VMKG, (SEQ ID NO 102)
WFLGLNKEGQ IMKG, (SEQ ID NO 103) WYLGLNKEGE IMKG, (SEQ ID NO 104)
WFLGLNKEGQ AMKG, (SEQ ID NO 105) WFLGLNKEGQ VMKG, (SEQ ID NO 106)
YYVALNKDGS PREG, (SEQ ID NO 107) WFMAFTRQGR PRQ, (SEQ ID NO 108)
WFVGLKKNGS CKRG, (SEQ ID NO 109) WYVGFTKKGR PRKG, (SEQ ID NO 110)
YFVALNKDGT PRDG, (SEQ ID NO 111) MFLALDRRGG PRPGG, (SEQ ID NO 112)
MFLALDSQGI PRQGQ, (SEQ ID NO 113) TGQYLAMDTE GLLYGS, (SEQ ID NO
114) TGQYLAMDTD GLLYGS, (SEQ ID NO 115) TGQYLAMDTS GLLYGS, (SEQ ID
NO 116) TGQFLAMDTD GLLYGS, (SEQ ID NO 118) ANRYLAMKED GRLLAS, (SEQ
ID NO 119) SGRYLAMNKR GRLYAS, (SEQ ID NO 120) SRFFVAMSSK GKLYGS,
(SEQ ID NO 121) SRFFVAMSSR GKLFGV, (SEQ ID NO 122) SRFFVAMSSR
GRLYGS, (SEQ ID NO 123) SGLFVAMNSK GKLYGS, (SEQ ID NO 124)
SNKFLAMSKK GKLHAS, (SEQ ID NO 125) SALFVAMNSK GRLYAT, (SEQ ID NO
126) SALFIAMNSK GRLYTT, (SEQ ID NO 127) SEYYLAMNKE GKLYAK, (SEQ ID
NO 128) SEYYLAMNKQ GLYAK, (SEQ ID NO 129) SEFYLAMNKE GKLYAK, (SEQ
ID NO 130) TGLYICMNKK GKLIAKS, (SEQ ID NO 131) SGLYLGMNEK GELYGS,
(SEQ ID NO 132) SNYYLAMNKK GKLYGS, (SEQ ID NO 133) LGHYMAMNAE
GLLYSS, (SEQ ID NO 134) ASLYVAMNGE GYLYSS, (SEQ ID NO 135)
TKLYLAMNSE GYLYTS, (SEQ ID NO 136) TGLYIAMNGE GYLYPS, (SEQ ID NO
137) SVRYLCMSAD GKIYG, (SEQ ID NO 138) SGLYLGMNER GELYGS, (SEQ ID
NO 139) SGLYLGMNER GELFGS, (SEQ ID NO 140) SEKYICMNKR GKLIG, (SEQ
ID NO 141) TEFYLCMNRK GKLVGK, (SEQ ID NO 142) SVRYLCMGAD GKMQGL,
(SEQ ID NO 143) SGLYLGMNDK GELYGS, (SEQ ID NO 144) TSRFLCQRPD
GALYG, (SEQ ID NO 145) ASRFLCQQPD GALYG, (SEQ ID NO 146) SGFYVAMNRR
GRLYGS, (SEQ ID NO 147) SRRYLCMDFR GNIFGS, (SEQ ID NO 148)
TRRFLCMDLH GNIFGS, (SEQ ID NO 149) GLKKNGSC, (SEQ ID NO 150)
ALKRTGQY, (SEQ ID NO 151) SVNGKGRP, (SEQ ID NO 152) IALSKNGKT, (SEQ
ID NO 153) MALSKNGRT, (SEQ ID NO 154) IALSKNGKA, (SEQ ID NO 155)
ALNKRGKA, (SEQ ID NO 156) ALSKYGRV, (SEQ ID NO 157) ALNQKGIP, (SEQ
ID NO 158) ALNQKGLP, (SEQ ID NO 159) AFTRKGRP, (SEQ ID NO 160)
ALNKDGTP, (SEQ ID NO 161) ALNGKGAPR, (SEQ ID NO 162) GLDKEGQV, (SEQ
ID NO 163) GLDKEGRV, (SEQ ID NO 164) GLNKEGQI, (SEQ ID NO 165)
GLNKEGEI, (SEQ ID NO 166) GLNKEGQA, (SEQ ID NO 167) GLNKEGQV, (SEQ
ID NO 168) ALNKDGSP, (SEQ ID NO 169) AFTRQGR, (SEQ ID NO 170)
GLKKNGSC, (SEQ ID NO 171) GFTKKGRP, (SEQ ID NO 172) ALNKDGTP, (SEQ
ID NO 173) ALDRRGGPR, (SEQ ID NO 174) ALDSQGIPR, (SEQ ID NO 175)
AMDTDGL, (SEQ ID NO 176) AMDTEGL, (SEQ ID NO 177) AMDTSGL, (SEQ ID
NO 178) AMKEDGR, (SEQ ID NO 179) AMNKRGR, (SEQ ID NO 180) AMSSKGK,
(SEQ ID NO 181) AMSSRGK, (SEQ ID NO 182) AMNSKGK, (SEQ ID NO 183)
AMSKKGK, (SEQ ID NO 184) AMNSKGR, (SEQ ID NO 185) AMNKEGK, (SEQ ID
NO 186) AMNKEGK, (SEQ ID NO 187) AMNKQGL, (SEQ ID NO 188) CMNKKGK,
(SEQ ID NO 189) GMNEKGE, (SEQ ID NO 190) AMNKKGK, (SEQ ID NO 191)
AMNAEGL, (SEQ ID NO 192) AMNGEGY, (SEQ ID NO 193) AMNSEGY, (SEQ ID
NO 194) AMNGEGY, (SEQ ID NO 195) CMSADGK, (SEQ ID NO 196) GMNERGE,
(SEQ ID NO 197) CMNKRGK, (SEQ ID NO 198) CMNRKGK, (SEQ ID NO 199)
CMGADGK, (SEQ ID NO 200) GMNDKGE, (SEQ ID NO 201) LCQRPDG, (SEQ ID
NO 202) LCQQPDG, (SEQ ID NO 203) AMNRRGR, (SEQ ID NO 204) CMDFRGN,
(SEQ ID NO 205) and/or CMDLHGN (SEQ ID NO 206)
[0118] The sequences listed above may be part of naturally
occurring proteins, for example the peptide having the sequence of
AMKEDGR (SEQ ID NO 7) is found in the Fibroblast Growth factor 2
(FGF 2).
[0119] In one embodiment of the invention the sequences 86-206 are
homologue sequences to the FGL peptide (FG loop peptide) in the
F3,I and F3,II domains.
[0120] By the term "homologue" is meant a sequence which is
structurally and/or functionally identical with the FGL peptide of
the invention. Sequence identity can be measured using sequence
analysis software (for example, the Sequence Analysis Software
Package of the Genetics Computer Group, University of Wisconsin
Biotechnology Center, 1710 University Avenue, Madison, Wis. 53705),
with the default parameters as specified therein.
[0121] In one embodiment of the invention the compound is capable
of interacting with the Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) receptor. A
variety of FGF receptors exist. It is preferred that the FGF
receptor may be selected from FGF receptor I, FGF receptor II, FGF
receptor III, FGF receptor IV. In a more preferred embodiment the
FGF receptor I signalling is stimulated.
[0122] In a preferred embodiment of the invention the interaction
of the present compound with the FGF receptor is resulting in the
stimulation of FGF receptor signalling. When the compound of the
invention interacts with the FGF receptor a cascade of chemical
events and physiological changes occurs. The interaction of the
present compound with the FGF receptor causes presumably
conformational changes or clustering of the receptor by which
chemical signals are created and propagated from the site of
interaction to the inside of the cell. The signals are said to be
transduced from the outside to the inside of the cell, the latter
resulting in a physiological response of the cell.
[0123] According to the invention the FGF receptor signalling is
measured as phosphorylation of the FGF receptor when a
predetermined concentration of the compound is applied to cells
expressing the FGF receptor. The degree of phoshorylation is at
least 20% above the control value, such as at least 20-200%, for
example at least 50-200%.
[0124] When testing the present compound with respect to for
example measuring signalling the concentration of the said compound
may be between 0.1-1000 .mu.M, 1-1000 .mu.M, for example 1-200
.mu.M, for example 10-200 .mu.M, such as 20-180 .mu.M, for example
30-160 .mu.M, such as 40-140 .mu.M, for example 50-130 .mu.M, such
as 60-120 .mu.M, for example 70-110 .mu.M, such as 80-100
.mu.M.
[0125] The amino acid sequence of the compound of the invention may
be of any suitable length, in that the length of the amino acid
sequence is dictated by the functionality of the peptide and the
formulation of the compound into a pharmaceutical composition.
Thus, the compound normally comprises amino acid residues in the
range of from 3-100 amino acid residues, such as from 10-90 amino
acid residues, for example from 15-85 amino acid residues, such as
from 20-80 amino acid residues, for example from 25-75 amino acid
residues, such as from 30-70 amino acid residues, for example from
35-65 amino acid residues, such as from 40-60 amino acid residues,
for example from 45-55 amino acid residues.
[0126] In another aspect the compound comprises amino acid residues
in the range of from 3 to 20 amino acid residues, such as from 3-19
amino acid residues, for example from 3-18 amino acid residues,
such as from 3-17 amino acid residues, for example from 3-16 amino
acid residues, such as from 3-15 amino acid residues, for example
from 3-14 amino acid residues, such as from 3-13 amino acid
residues.
[0127] The peptides of the invention may serve as tools for
identifying a motif in peptide ligands expected to bind to the FGF
receptor and/or ATP. Such peptide ligands may be found through a
peptide and/or a non-peptide library. Any peptide sequence
comprising said peptides capable of binding the FGF receptor and/or
ATP and/or L1 are part of the present invention.
[0128] These mentioned compounds and compositions can be used to
treat conditions affecting the peripheral and/or the central
nervous system and/or muscles and other tissues expressing FGF
receptors or NCAM ligands as well as other conditions in which a
stimulation of FGF receptor function or the function of other NCAM
ligand is beneficial.
[0129] Putative artificial ligands may be selected and identified
from peptide or non-peptide libraries. Any peptide or non-peptide
library may be used. Synthetic peptide and non-peptide libraries as
well as libraries containing fragmented natural occurring proteins,
may be used in the search for useful peptides. Any kind of
libraries comprising non-peptide compounds may similarly be
used.
[0130] Peptides characterised by a certain sequence of amino acids
may be a variant of a certain area of a protein. Naturally
occurring proteins consist of L-amino acid residues. However,
artificial peptides may also consist of or comprise D-amino acid
residues. By combinatorial chemistry, mixtures of beads carrying
peptides of equal length can be constructed, in which each bead
carries peptides of a unique sequence (Lam et al., 1991). Such a
mixture of peptides on beads is called a peptide library.
[0131] In the present invention, peptides, fragments or variants
may be identified by screening synthetic random peptide libraries
comprising resin-bound peptides with purified recombinant NCAM or
recombinant FGF receptor or recombinant L1 or other NCAM ligands.
The synthesis of the resin-bound one-bead one-peptide library may
be performed using the portioning, mix procedure of Furka, .,
Sebestyyn, F., Asgedom, M. And Dib, G. (1991) Int. J. Pep. Prot.
Res. 37, 487-493) optionally modified as known to the person
skilled in the art. It is to be understood that the method chosen
for identification and selection of interesting peptides is not
critical for the identification of a putative motif.
[0132] Libraries of small organic compounds may be screened to
identify FGF receptor ligands or L1 ligands or other NCAM
counter-receptor ligands capable of interacting with Fibroblast
Growth Factor (FGF) receptor and/or Adenosine-Tri-Phosphate (ATP)
and/or L1. Such libraries or their construction are commonly known
and the screening for useful ligands may follow the methods for
screening disclosed in the present specification, or in ways
obvious to the skilled person.
[0133] The compound of the present invention may preferably be in
the form of an oligomer (multimer) of monomers, wherein each
monomer is as defined for the compound above. Particularly,
multimeric peptides such as dendrimers may form conformational
determinants or clusters due to the presence of multiple flexible
peptide monomers. In one embodiment the compound is a dimer. In a
more preferred embodiment the compound is a dendrimer, such as four
peptides linked to a lysine backbone, or coupled to a polymer
carrier, for example a protein carrier, such as BSA. Polymerisation
such as repetitive sequences or attachment to various carriers are
well-known in the art, e.g. lysine backbones, such as lysine
dendrimers carrying 4 peptides, 8 peptides, 16 peptides, or 32
peptides. Other carriers may be lipophilic dendrimers, or
micelle-like carriers formed by lipophilic derivatives, or
starburst (star-like) carbon chain polymer conjugates.
[0134] The compound preferably comprises monomers independently
capable of stimulating FGF receptor signalling and/or modulating
proliferation and/or differentiation, regeneration, survival and/or
neuronal plasticity of cells presenting an FGF receptor and/or NCAM
ligand/counter receptor and/or L1.
[0135] The individual monomers may be homologous, i.e. identical to
one another, or the individual monomers may be heterologous, i.e.
different from one another. The latter type of monomers may
comprise at least two different monomers. In general dimers and
multimers may comprise two or more identical monomers, or two or
more monomers different from one another.
[0136] Pharmaceutical Composition
[0137] The invention also relates to a pharmaceutical composition
comprising one or more of the compounds defined above comprising
the third Immunoglobulin (Ig3) module, and/or the fourth
Immunoglobulin (Ig4) module, and/or the fifth Immunoglobulin (Ig5)
module, and/or the first Fibronectin III (Fn3,1) module, and/or the
second Fibronectin III (Fn3,2) module of neural cell adhesion
molecule (NCAM), or a fragment, or a variant thereof, wherein the
compound is capable of interacting with an Fibroblast Growth Factor
(FGF) receptor and/or Adenosine-Tri-Phosphate (ATP) and/or L1.
[0138] In the present context the term "pharmaceutical composition"
is used synonymously with the term "medicament".
[0139] In one embodiment the pharmaceutical composition comprises
the NCAM F3,2 module, or a fragment thereof, or a variant thereof.
In another embodiment the composition comprises the NCAM F3,1
module, or a fragment thereof, or a variant thereof.
[0140] The compositions are preferably formulated as multimers or
dimers as discussed above.
[0141] The invention further concerns a pharmaceutical composition
capable of stimulating FGF receptor signalling and/or modulating
proliferation and/or inducing differentiation and/or stimulating
regeneration, neuronal plasticity and/or survival of cells
presenting an FGF receptor.
[0142] The pharmaceutical composition may in one aspect prevent
death of cells in vitro or in vivo, wherein the composition is
administered to a subject, in vitro or in vivo in an effective
amount of one or more of the compounds described above or a
composition as described below, so as to prevent cell death of FGF
receptor presenting cells and/or L1 presenting cells in several
tissues and organs as discussed herein.
[0143] The medicament of the invention comprises an effective
amount of one or more of the compounds as defined above, or a
composition as defined above in combination with pharmaceutically
acceptable additives. Such medicament may suitably be formulated
for oral, percutaneous, intramuscular, intravenous, intracranial,
intrathecal, intracerebroventricular, intranasal or pulmonal
administration.
[0144] Strategies in formulation development of medicaments and
compositions based on the compounds of the present invention
generally correspond to formulation strategies for any other
protein-based drug product. Potential problems and the guidance
required to overcome these problems are dealt with in several
textbooks, e.g. "Therapeutic Peptides and Protein Formulation.
Processing and Delivery Systems", Ed. A. K. Banga, Technomic
Publishing AG, Basel, 1995.
[0145] Injectables are usually prepared either as liquid solutions
or suspensions, solid forms suitable for solution in, or suspension
in, liquid prior to injection. The preparation may also be
emulsified. The active ingredient is often mixed with excipients
which are pharmaceutically acceptable and compatible with the
active ingredient. Suitable excipients are, for example, water,
saline, dextrose, glycerol, ethanol or the like, and combinations
thereof. In addition, if desired, the preparation may contain minor
amounts of auxiliary substances such as wetting or emulsifying
agents, pH buffering agents, or which enhance the effectiveness or
transportation of the preparation.
[0146] Formulations of the compounds of the invention can be
prepared by techniques known to the person skilled in the art. The
formulations may contain pharmaceutically acceptable carriers and
excipients including microspheres, liposomes, microcapsules,
nanoparticles or the like.
[0147] The preparation may suitably be administered by injection,
optionally at the site, where the active ingredient is to exert its
effect. Additional formulations which are suitable for other modes
of administration include suppositories, nasal, pulmonal and, in
some cases, oral formulations. For suppositories, traditional
binders and carriers include polyalkylene glycols or triglycerides.
Such suppositories may be formed from mixtures containing the
active ingredient(s) in the range of from 0.5% to 10%, preferably
1-2%. Oral formulations include such normally employed excipients
as, for example, pharmaceutical grades of mannitol, lactose,
starch, magnesium stearate, sodium saccharine, cellulose, magnesium
carbonate, and the like. These compositions take the form of
solutions, suspensions, tablets, pills, capsules, sustained release
formulations or powders and generally contain 10-95% of the active
ingredient(s), preferably 25-70%.
[0148] Other formulations are such suitable for nasal and pulmonal
administration, e.g. inhalators and aerosols.
[0149] The active compound may be formulated as neutral or salt
forms. Pharmaceutically acceptable salts include acid addition
salts (formed with the free amino groups of the peptide compound)
and which are formed with inorganic acids such as, for example,
hydrochloric or phosphoric acids, or such organic acids as acetic
acid, oxalic acid, tartaric acid, mandelic acid, and the like.
Salts formed with the free carboxyl group may also be derived from
inorganic bases such as, for example, sodium, potassium, ammonium,
calcium, or ferric hydroxides, and such organic bases as
isopropylamine, trimethylamine, 2-ethylamino ethanol, histidine,
procaine, and the like.
[0150] The preparations are administered in a manner compatible
with the dosage formulation, and in such amount as will be
therapeutically effective. The quantity to be administered depends
on the subject to be treated, including, e.g. the weight and age of
the subject, the disease to be treated and the stage of disease.
Suitable dosage ranges are per kilo body weight normally of the
order of several hundred .mu.g active ingredient per administration
with a preferred range of from about 0.1 .mu.g to 5000 .mu.g per
kilo body weight. Using monomeric forms of the compounds, the
suitable dosages are often in the range of from 0.1 .mu.g to 5000
.mu.g per kilo body weight, such as in the range of from about 0.1
.mu.g to 3000 .mu.g per kilo body weight, and especially in the
range of from about 0.1 .mu.g to 1000 .mu.g per kilo body weight.
Using multimeric forms of the compounds, the suitable dosages are
often in the range of from 0.1 .mu.g to 1000 .mu.g per kilo body
weight, such as in the range of from about 0.1 .mu.g to 750 .mu.g
per kilo body weight, and especially in the range of from about 0.1
.mu.g to 500 .mu.g per kilo body weight such as in the range of
from about 0.1 .mu.g to 250 .mu.g per kilo body weight. In
particular when administering nasally smaller dosages are used than
when administering by other routes. Administration may be performed
once or may be followed by subsequent administrations. The dosage
will also depend on the route of administration and will vary with
the age and weight of the subject to be treated. A preferred dosage
of multimeric forms would be in the interval 1 mg to 70 mg per 70
kg body weight.
[0151] For most indications a localised or substantially localised
application is preferred.
[0152] Some of the compounds of the present invention are
sufficiently active, but for some of the others, the effect will be
enhanced if the preparation further comprises pharmaceutically
acceptable additives and/or carriers. Such additives and carriers
will be known in the art. In some cases, it will be advantageous to
include a compound, which promote delivery of the active substance
to its target.
[0153] In many instances, it will be necessary to administrate the
formulation multiple times. Administration may be a continuous
infusion, such as intraventricular infusion or administration in
more doses such as more times a day, daily, more times a week,
weekly, etc. It is preferred that administration of the medicament
is initiated before or shortly after the individual has been
subjected to the factor(s) that may lead to cell death. Preferably
the medicament is administered within 8 hours from the factor
onset, such as within 5 hours from the factor onset. Many of the
compounds exhibit a long term effect whereby administration of the
compounds may be conducted with long intervals, such as 1 week or 2
weeks.
[0154] In connection with the use in nerve guides, the
administration may be continuous or in small portions based upon
controlled release of the active compound(s). Furthermore,
precursors may be used to control the rate of release and/or site
of release. Other kinds of implants and well as oral administration
may similarly be based upon controlled release and/or the use of
precursors.
[0155] As discussed above, the present invention relates to
treatment of individuals for inducing differentiation, modulating
proliferation, stimulate regeneration, neuronal plasticity and
survival of FGF receptor presenting cells or L1 presenting cells or
other NCAM ligand presenting cells in vitro or in vivo, the
treatment involving administering an effective amount of one or
more compounds as defined above.
[0156] Another strategy for administration is to implant or inject
cells capable of expressing and secreting the compound in question.
Thereby the compound may be produced at the location where it is
going to act.
[0157] Treatment
[0158] In a further aspect, the present invention relates to said
peptides, fragments, or variants thereof for use in the modulation
of proliferation and/or induction of differentiation and/or
stimulation of regeneration, neuronal plasticity and/or survival of
cells presenting an FGF receptor. The use is for the treatment for
preventing diseases and conditions of the central and peripheral
nervous system, and of the muscles or of various organs.
[0159] Treatment by the use of the compounds/compositions according
to the invention is in one embodiment useful for inducing
differentiation, modulating proliferation, stimulate regeneration,
neuronal plasticity and survival of cells being implanted or
transplanted. This is particularly useful when using compounds
having a long term effect.
[0160] In further embodiment the treatment may be for stimulation
of survival of cells which are at risk of dying due to a variety of
factors, such as traumas and injuries, acute diseases, chronic
diseases and/or disorders, in particular degenerative diseases
normally leading to cell death, other external factors, such as
medical and/or surgical treatments and/or diagnostic methods that
may cause formation of free radicals or otherwise have cytotoxic
effects, such as X-rays and chemotherapy. In relation to
chemotherapy the NCAM binding compounds according to the invention
are useful in cancer treatment of all cancer cells presenting NCAM
ligands.
[0161] Thus, the treatment comprises treatment and/or prophylaxis
of cell death in relation to diseases or conditions of the central
and peripheral nervous system, such as postoperative nerve damage,
traumatic nerve damage, e.g. resulting from spinal cord injury,
impaired myelination of nerve fibers, postischaemic damage, e.g.
resulting from a stroke, multiinfarct dementia, multiple sclerosis,
nerve degeneration associated with diabetes mellitus,
neuro-muscular degeneration, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease,
Parkinson's disease, or Huntington's disease.
[0162] Also, in relation to diseases or conditions of the muscles
including conditions with impaired function of neuro-muscular
connections, such as genetic or traumatic atrophic muscle
disorders; or for the treatment of diseases or conditions of
various organs, such as degenerative conditions of the gonads, of
the pancreas, such as diabetes mellitus type I and II, of the
kidney, such as nephrosis the compounds according to the invention
may be used for inducing differentiation, modulating proliferation,
stimulate regeneration, neuronal plasticity and survival, i.e.
stimulating survival.
[0163] Furthermore, the compound and/or pharmaceutical composition
may be for preventing cell death of heart muscle cells, such as
after acute myocardial infarction, in order to induce angiogenesis.
Furthermore, in one embodiment the compound and/or pharmaceutical
composition is for the stimulation of the survival of heart muscle
cells, such as survival after acute myocardial infarction. In
another aspect the compound and/or pharmaceutical composition is
for revascularisation, such as after injuries.
[0164] It is also within the scope of the invention to use the
compound and/or pharmaceutical composition for the promotion of
wound-healing. The present compounds are capable of stimulating
angiogenesis and thereby promote the wound healing process.
[0165] The invention further discloses the use of the compound
and/or pharmaceutical composition in the treatment of cancer. NCAM
regulates motility and inhibits cancer cells from spreading.
[0166] In yet a further embodiment the use of the compound and/or
pharmaceutical composition is for the stimulation of the ability to
learn and/or of the short and/or long term memory.
[0167] In particular the compound and/or pharmaceutical composition
of the invention may be used in the treatment of clinical
conditions, such as Neoplasms such as malignant neoplasms, benign
neoplasms, carcinoma in situ and neoplasms of uncertain behavior,
diseases of endocrine glands, such as diabetes mellitus, psychoses,
such as senile and presenile organic psychotic conditions,
alcoholic psychoses, drug psychoses, transient organic psychotic
conditions, Alzheimers disease, cerebral lipidoses, epilepsy,
general paresis [syphilis], hepatolenticular degeneration,
Huntington's chorea, Jakob-Creutzfeldt disease, multiple sclerosis,
Pick's disease of the brain, syphilis, Schizophrenic disorders,
affective psychoses, neurotic disorders, personality disorders,
including character neurosis, nonpsychotic personality disorder
associated with organic brain syndromes, paranoid personality
disorder, fanatic personality, paranoid personality (disorder),
paranoid traits, sexual deviations and disorders, mental
retardation, disease in the nervesystem and sense organs, cognitive
anomalies, inflammatory disease of the central nervous system, such
as meningitis, encephalitis, Cerebral degenerations such as
Alzheimers disease, Pick's disease, senile degeneration of brain,
communicating hydrocephalus, obstructive hydrocephalus, Parkinson's
disease including other extra pyramidal disease and abnormal
movement disorders, spinocerebellar disease, cerebellar ataxia,
Marie's, Sanger-Brown, Dyssynergia cerebellaris myoclonica, primary
cerebellar degeneration, such as spinal muscular atrophy, familial,
juvenile, adult spinal muscular atrophy, motor neuron disease,
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, motor neuron disease, progressive
bulbar palsy, pseudobulbar palsy, primary lateral sclerosis, other
anterior horn cell diseases, anterior horn cell disease,
unspecified, other diseases of spinal cord, syringomyelia and
syringobulbia, vascular myelopathies, acute infarction of spinal
cord (embolic) (nonembolic), arterial thrombosis of spinal cord,
edema of spinal cord, subacute necrotic myelopathy, subacute
combined degeneration of spinal cord in diseases classified
elsewhere, myelopathy, drug-induced, radiation-induced myelitis,
disorders of the autonomic nervous system, disorders of peripheral
autonomic, sympathetic, parasympathetic, or vegetative system,
familial dysautonomia [Riley-Day syndrome], idiopathic peripheral
autonomic neuropathy, carotid sinus syncope or syndrome, cervical
sympathetic dystrophy or paralysis. peripheral autonomic neuropathy
in disorders classified elsewhere, amyloidosis, diseases of the
peripheral nerve system, brachial plexus lesions, cervical rib
syndrome, costoclavicular syndrome, scalenus anterior syndrome,
thoracic outlet syndrome, brachial neuritis or radiculitis,
including in newborn. Inflammatory and toxic neuropathy, including
acute infective polyneuritis, Guillain-Barre syndrome,
Postinfectious polyneuritis, polyneuropathy in collagen vascular
disease, disorders affecting multiple structures of eye, purulent
endophthalmitis, diseases of the ear and mastoid process, chronic
rheumatic heart disease, ischaemic heart disease, arrhythmia,
diseases in the pulmonary system, abnormality of organs and soft
tissues in newborn, including in the nerve system, complications of
the administration of anesthetic or other sedation in labor and
delivery, diseases in the skin including infection, insufficient
circulation problem, injuries, including after surgery, crushing
injury, burns. Injuries to nerves and spinal cord, including
division of nerve, lesion in continuity (with or without open
wound), traumatic neuroma (with or without open wound), traumatic
transient paralysis (with or without open wound), accidental
puncture or laceration during medical procedure, injury to optic
nerve and pathways, optic nerve injury, second cranial nerve,
injury to optic chiasm, injury to optic pathways, injury to visual
cortex, unspecified blindness, injury to other cranial nerve(s),
injury to other and unspecified nerves. Poisoning by drugs,
medicinal and biological substances, genetic or traumatic atrophic
muscle disorders; or for the treatment of diseases or conditions of
various organs, such as degenerative conditions of the gonads, of
the pancreas, such as diabetes mellitus type I and II, of the
kidney, such as nephrosis.
[0168] A further aspect of the invention is a process of producing
a pharmaceutical composition, comprising mixing an effective amount
of one or more of the compounds of the invention, or a
pharmaceutical composition according to the invention with one or
more pharmaceutically acceptable additives or carriers, and
administer an effective amount of at least one of said compound, or
said pharmaceutical composition to a subject.
[0169] In one embodiment of the process as mentioned above, the
compounds are used in combination with a prosthetic device, wherein
the device is a prosthetic nerve guide. Thus, in a further aspect,
the present invention relates to a prosthetic nerve guide,
characterised in that it comprises one or more of the compounds or
the pharmaceutical composition as defined above. Nerve guides are
known in the art.
[0170] Another aspect of the invention relates to the use of a
compound as defined above. In particular the use of a compound
according to the invention is for the production of a
pharmaceutical composition. The pharmaceutical composition is
preferably for the treatment or prophylaxis of any of the diseases
and conditions mentioned above.
[0171] In yet a further aspect the invention relates to a method of
treating a disease or condition as discussed above by administering
a compound as defined herein.
EXPERIMENTAL
[0172] The following are non-limiting examples illustrating the
present invention.
[0173] Materials and Methods
[0174] Methods
[0175] The .sup.15N-labelled and unlabelled protein corresponding
to aminoacids 612-705 of rat NCAM (swissprot p13596) was produced
in yeast P. pastoris. The expression product contains two
N-terminal residues, A and G, from the vector and is sequentially
numbered from 1 to 96. 2 mM unlabelled and 1 mM .sup.15N-labelled
protein (in 30 mM NaCl, 10 mM sodium phosphate buffer, pH 7.27)
were used. The .sup.1H and .sup.15N resonances were assigned from
spectra of DQF-COSY, TOCSY, .sup.15N TOCSY-HSQC NMR experiments.
All data were acquired at 298 K. The NOE constraints were derived
from {fraction (80/200)} ms NOESY and 125 ms .sup.15N-NOESY-HSQC
spectra with upper bounds of 2.7, 3.3 and 6.0 .ANG. increased by
0.5 .ANG. if the constraint included a methyl group. 40.phi. angles
restraints with bounds of -120.+-.40.degree. and -57.+-.40.degree.
(derived from the .sup.3J.sub.HNH.alpha. coupling constants) and 4
.chi..sup.1 angles (for valines) were applied. 96 structures were
generated with a distance geometry/simulated annealing protocol
using the X-PLOR program. After inspection of hydrogen bond
energies, 80 hydrogen bond restraints were applied with upper
bounds of 2 .ANG. and 3 .ANG. for the NH--O and N--O distances,
respectively. All the structures had NOE violations of less than
0.3 .ANG., and rms deviations from idealized geometry for bond
lengths and angles of less than 0.01 .ANG. and 20,
respectively.
[0176] HEK293 Cell Culture and Transfection
[0177] Cells were grown in DMEM 1965 with 10% FCS, 100 U/ml
penicillin, 100 .mu.g/ml streptomycin and 58.4 g/l Glutamax.
.about.0.8*10.sup.6 cells were plated in 60 mm plates and cultured
for 24 hrs before being transfected using LipofectAMIN PLUS.TM.
reagent kit according to manufacturers instructions (Gibco BRL)
with 0.2 .mu.g PcDNA3.1(+) plasmid encoding a his-tagged
(C-terminal hexa-histidine) version of FGFR-1. Cells were grown
another 24 hrs in full medium, and then shifted to starving media
(DMEM 1965 with 0.5% FCS) overnight.
[0178] Stimulation, Purification and Western Blot Analysis
[0179] FGFR-1 transfected cells, incubated with 50 .mu.g/ml NCAM
derived recombinant fIII.2 or FG-loop for 20 minutes or
non-stimulated, were lysed in 8M urea in PBS with 1 mM
orthovanadate. The FGFR-1 was purified from total lysate via the
His-tag moiety on an IMAC column. Equal amounts of lysate were
loaded on Ni.sup.2+/NTA-sepharose (Qiagen), washed in lysis buffer
with 10 mM imidazole, and his-tagged FGFR-1 was eluted in lysis
buffer with 250 mM imidazole. Samples were added SDS-PAGE sample
buffer and analysed by western blotting using anti-pentahis ab
(#34660 Qiagen) or anti-phosphotyrosine ab (PY20) (#11120
Transduction Laboratories). Bands were visualised by
chemilumiscense and density was measured using a GeneGnome from
SynGene with a 16 bit camera.
[0180] Neurons were grown on Permanox plastic (Nunc, Denmark) for
24 h at a density 6250 cells/cm.sup.2, at 37.degree. C., 5%
CO.sub.2 in Neurobasal medium containing 20 mM Hepes, 100 U/ml
penicillin, 100 .mu.g/ml streptomycin, 0.4% BSA supplemented with
B27 (Gibco BRL, USA). After 24 h, cells were fixed with
paraformaldehyde, stained with Coomassie Brilliant Blue R250 and
analyzed.
[0181] To study the structural and functional properties of the
second F3 module of NCAM as well as a possible interaction with the
FGF-receptor, the recombinant proteins of the second F3 module of
NCAM and the second and third Ig modules of the FGF-receptor were
produced in the yeast expression system of P. pastoris. This
expression system was selected because P. pastoris is capable of
protein folding and processing similar to higher eukaryotes, and
the protein secreted into the medium can be purified easily.
Example 1
[0182] Structure of the Second F3 Module of NCAM
[0183] The three-dimensional structure of the module was derived
from 1434 experimentally determined restraints (15 restraints per
residue): 1322 structurally significant nuclear Overhauser
enhancement (NOE) distance restraints (as determined by means of
the program DIANA), 44 dihedral angle restraints (40 .phi. and 4
.chi..sub.1), and 68 hydrogen bond restraints. An overlay of 30
superimposed structures for the backbone atoms is shown in FIG. 1a.
The global root mean square (rms) deviation (rmsd) from the average
of the 30 superimposed structures is 0.25 .ANG. for the backbone
atoms and 0.68 .ANG. for the heavy atoms. A ribbon representation
of the structure labeling the seven .beta.-strands is shown in FIG.
1b. The summary of the NOE statistics, energy terms and deviations
from the idealized geometry is shown in Table 1.
3TABLE 1 a) Structural statistics .sup.1Number of restraints 1434:
.sup.3Structural precision: Long range NOE restraints 717 Rms
deviation for backbone atoms 0.25 .ANG. Medium range NOE restraints
122 Rms deviation for heavy atoms 0.68 .ANG. Sequential NOE
restraints 364 Rms deviations from idealized geometry: Intra NOE
restraints 119 bonds 0.0027 .+-. 0.0000 A Dihedral angle restraints
44 bond angles .sup. 1.4558 .+-. 0.0075.degree. Hydrogen bond
restraints 80 improper bond angles .sup. 0.8674 .+-. 0.0198.degree.
.sup.2Energies (kcal/mol): Bonds 2.23 .+-. 0.05 no restraints 5.02
.+-. 0.36 Bond angles 191.2 .+-. 0.8 dihedral angle restraints
0.004 .+-. 0.005 hydrogen bonds -157.5 .+-. 7.1 van der Waals
-395.9 .+-. 7.2 Dihedral bond angles 494.2 .+-. 11.4 improper bond
angles 24.9 .+-. 2.2 Overall 164 .+-. 11.4 .sup.1Number of
non-redundant restraints. .sup.2The energies were calculated using
CHARMM force field with force constants for NOE's of 10 kcal
mol.sup.-1 .ANG..sup.-2 and for dihedral constraints of 200 kcal
mol.sup.-1 rad.sup.-2. .sup.3Rms deviations from the average for
residues 3-96 in 30 structures. Residues 1-2 are extra residues
from the vector DNA.
[0184] The structure consists of seven antiparallel .beta.-strands
arranged in a sandwich of two .beta. sheets, one containing three
strands (ABE) and the other four strands (GFCD). Both of the .beta.
sheets have a right-handed twist. The triple-stranded .beta. sheet
consists of residues Lys 7-Gly 13 (A), Ser 18-Ile 24 (B), His
59-Lys 63 (E), and the four-stranded .beta. sheet consists of
residues Ile 33-Ala 42 (C), Ile 51, Arg 52 (D), Glu 70-Asn 79 (F)
and Gly 82-Arg 92 (G). Identification of the elements of the
secondary structure was performed using the programs PROCHECK and
MOLMOL. There are two wide type .beta.-bulges (Chan et al., 1993)
involving residues Lys 85, Ala 86 and Val 76 (G and F
.beta.-stands), and residues Ala 77 and His 35, Tyr 36 (F and C
.beta.-strands). The two .beta.-bulges contribute to the
right-handed twist conformation of the four-stranded .beta.-sheet.
The .beta.-hairpins formed by the A and B .beta.-strands, and the G
and F .beta.-strands are well defined. The .beta.-hairpin between
the A and B strands corresponds to a 4:6 type I turn with the
average .phi., .psi. values for Glu 14 (i+1 residue) being
-64.+-.1.degree., 12.+-.2.degree., and for Asp 15 (i+2
residue)-80.+-.1.degree., 24.+-.2.degree.; whereas the
.beta.-hairpin between the G and F strands corresponds to a tight
2:2 type I turn with the average .phi., .psi. values for Gln 80
(i+1 residue)-38.+-.3.degree., -42.+-.4.degree., and for Gln 81
(i+2 residue)-107.+-.13.degree., 28.+-.30.degree. (Sibanda et al.,
1989; Wilmot and Thornton, 1990). The loops between the D-E and E-F
strands appear to be distorted type II turns with the average
.phi., .psi. values for i+1 residues being -70.+-.8.degree.,
93.+-.17.degree. (Ser 55, D-E loop), -73.+-.20.degree.,
154.+-.3.degree.(Trp 67, E-F loop), and the average .phi., .psi.
values for i+2 residues being 109.+-.9.degree., 57.+-.8.degree.(Gly
56, D-E loop), 46.+-.3.degree., 48.+-.2.degree.(Asn 68, E-F loop).
The hydrophobic core, which is enclosed by the two .beta.-sheets,
consists of residues Leu 8, Met 12, Ile 19, Val 21, Leu 23, Ile 33,
Tyr 36, Val 38, Tyr 40, Ala 42, Ile 51, Leu 53, Val 60, Leu 62, Leu
65, Tyr 71, Val 73, Val 75, Ala 77, Ala 87, Phe 89, Phe 91, and Thr
93. Interestingly, the two tryptophans Trp 47 and Trp 67, located
in the C-D and E-F loops, respectively, and Tyr 74 (F strand) are
exposed on the surface of the module, and they are not part of the
hydrophobic core.
[0185] All of the 30 structures conform to the commonly applied
acceptance criteria: no violations larger than 0.5 .ANG. for NOE
restraints and larger than 50 for dihedral angle restraints, root
mean square deviations from idealized geometry for bond lengths and
bond angles less than 0.01 .ANG. and 2.degree., respectively. The
quality of each structure was assessed using the program WHAT IF.
The average Z-scores for the set of 30 structures are:
-1.42.+-.0.17 for the 2.sup.nd generation packing quality,
-1.94.+-.0.27 for the Ramachandran plot, -1.53.+-.0.34 for the
.chi..sub.1/.chi..sub.2 plot, and -2.10.+-.0.20 for the backbone
conformation. The quality of the 30 structures was further analyzed
using the program PROCHECK. All of the analyzed main-chain and
side-chain parameters were found to be within the normal ranges
when compared to the X-ray structures of 2.0 .ANG. resolution. The
number of residues in the most favored region of the Ramachandran
plot is 75.3%. NOE violations were analyzed using the program AQUA.
The maximum NOE violation is 0.25 .ANG., and the rms NOE violation
is 0.0189.+-.0.00067 .ANG..
Example 2
[0186] The Second F3 Module of NCAM Binds to the FGF-Receptor and
ATP
[0187] Given the assignment of the NMR spectra of the module and
its known three-dimensional structure, it is possible to locate the
residues that form the binding site on the surface of the module.
In the .sup.15N-HSQC spectrum of the .sup.15N-labeled protein, a
signal for each amino acid with both a peptide nitrogen and proton
can be observed. The changes in the chemical shifts of the signals
provide a method for the identification of residues in a protein
that are perturbed by the binding of another molecule. To the 0.05
mM .sup.15N-labeled sample of the second F3 module of NCAM, 1 mM
unlabeled the second or third Ig modules of the FGF-receptor, or 5
mM AMP-PCP (an non-hydrolysable analogue of ATP) were added. No
significant changes of the chemical shifts were found in the
presence of the second Ig module of the FGF-receptor (data not
shown). The recorded changes of the chemical shifts in the presence
of the third Ig module of the FGF-receptor or ATP are shown in FIG.
2a-d. The changes in .sup.1H and .sup.15N chemical shifts in the
presence of the third Ig module of the FGF-receptor were mapped
onto the structure of the module (FIG. 2e), using a cutoff of 0.006
p.p.m. and 0.03 p.p.m. for the perturbed .sup.1H and .sup.15N
chemical shifts, respectively.
[0188] The residues of the F3 module that experienced significant
perturbation by the third Ig module of the FGF-receptor were Tyr
36, Leu 37, Val 38, Tyr 40, Leu 53, Tyr 71, Tyr 74, Val 75, Val 76,
Ala 77, Asn 79, Gln 81, Gly 82, Lys 83, Ser 84, Lys 85, Ala 87, His
88, Phe 89, Val 90 (FIG. 2a,b). The changes of the chemical shifts
of these residues demonstrate that the presence of the third Ig
module of the FGF-receptor close to the second F3 module of NCAM
alters the chemical environment at the perturbed residues of the F3
module. The perturbed residues are located in one well defined and
coherent patch on the surface of the module, indicating that the
perturbed residues are either a part or in the vicinity of the
binding site for the interaction between the second F3 module of
NCAM and the third Ig module of the FGF-receptor (FIG. 2E). The
surface area of the perturbed residues is approximately 2600
.ANG..sup.2, which is significantly larger than the 1000
.ANG..sup.2 minimal area generally considered to be required for a
biologically specific interaction. However, the surface area of the
binding site is likely to be smaller, since some of the perturbed
residues probably are just located close to the site.
[0189] The residues of the F3 module perturbed by AMP-PCP were Tyr
74 and Val 75 (FIG. 2c-d). The side chain of Tyr 74 is exposed on
the surface of the module and is located in the close vicinity of
the ATP-binding consensus sequence of the module: Ala
77-Glu-Asn-Gln-Gln-Gly-Lys-Ser 84 and Lys 85 (FIG. 20. Both Lys 83
and Lys 85 are exposed on the surface of the module and it is
possible that the positively charged side chains of Lys 83 and Lys
85 interact with the negatively charged triphosphate moiety of ATP,
whereas the side chain of Tyr 74 is involved in hydrophobic
interaction with the adenosine moiety of ATP. A possible
arrangement of the complex of ATP and the second F3 module is
depicted in FIG. 2g. The residues perturbed by ATP (Tyr 74 and Val
75) were also perturbed by the third Ig module of the FGF-receptor,
indicating that the ATP binding site and the FGF-receptor binding
site are overlapping.
Example 3
[0190] The FGF-Receptor is Activated by the Second F3 Module of
NCAM and by the FGL Peptide
[0191] Since the above NMR experiments demonstrate binding of the
second F3 module of NCAM to the FGF-receptor, it was of interest to
test if this binding can induce FGF-receptor activation in living
cells. Therefore, HEK293 cells were grown for 24 h on plastic
plates, and subsequently transfected with a His-tagged version of
the FGF-receptor 1 and cultured for another 24 h. After incubation
of the cells for 20 min with the below described compounds, cells
were lysed in 8M urea and the FGF-receptor was purified from the
total lysate via the His-tag moiety. The purified FGF-receptor 1
was then analyzed by immunoblotting using antibodies either to the
His-tag or phosphotyrosine. FGF-receptor activation was estimated
by the level of the FGF-receptor phosphorylation.
[0192] From FIG. 3, it appears that addition of 5 .mu.M second F3
module of NCAM increased FGF-receptor phosphorylation by approx.
150% compared to control cells. Most of the residues of the second
F3 module of NCAM perturbed by the third Ig module of the
FGF-receptor are located in the F, G .beta.-strands and the FG turn
region of the NCAM module. We therefore tested whether a synthetic
peptide spanning these residues could variant the second F3 module
in its ability to activate the FGF-receptor. Indeed, addition of a
peptide corresponding to residues Glu 72-Ala 86 (termed the FG loop
peptide) at a concentration of 25 .mu.M also activated the
FGF-receptor, increasing phosphorylation by approx. 100%, thus
supporting the notion that these residues of the second F3 module
are involved in the binding to the FGF-receptor (FIG. 3).
[0193] Thus, the present data demonstrate that binding of the
second F3 module of NCAM to the FGF-receptor results in the
activation of the latter.
Example 4
[0194] Activation of the FGF-Receptor by the Second F3 Module of
NCAM Stimulates Neurite Growth
[0195] Because the second F3 module of NCAM and its FGF-receptor
binding part (the FG loop peptide) activate the FGF-receptor, it
may be expected that the F3 module and the FG loop peptide are
capable of mimicking a characteristic function of NCAM stimulation:
neuronal differentiation as reflected by neuritogenesis. To test
this assumption, dissociated neurons from embryonic rat hippocampus
were seeded on plastic and allowed to grow for 24 h in the presence
of the below described compounds. Thereafter, cells were fixed with
paraformaldehyde, stained with Coomassie Brilliant Blue R250 and
the length of neurites was measured using a stereological approach
(R.o slashed.nn et al., 2000).
[0196] As can be seen from the phase-contrast pictures (FIG. 4a,b),
addition of the second F3 module of NCAM at a 5 .mu.M concentration
substantially increased the length of neurites per cell as compared
to the control, non-stimulated neurons. The effect was quantified
in a dose-response study (FIG. 4c) demonstrating that the F3
module, the FG loop peptide and a truncated version of the peptide
(Ala 77-Lys 83) all induced neurite outgrowth, with a bell-shaped
dose-response curve typical of growth factor induced neuritogenesis
(Hatten et al., 1988). The potency of the peptides was lower than
that of the module, as reflected by the fact that a 10 times higher
concentration was required for maximum effect, and the truncated
form was less efficient than the extended form. The stimulatory
effect of the second F3 module and the FG loop peptide could be
abrogated by an inhibitor of NCAM-stimulated neurite outgrowth, an
antibody against the FGF-receptor. The effect of the antibody under
control conditions and on neurite outgrowth induced by the second
F3 module or the FG loop, is shown in FIG. 4d. In the latter case,
a complete inhibition was achieved, further supporting the notion
that the module and the FG loop peptide interact with the
FGF-receptor.
[0197] To determine the functionally important amino acids of the
FG loop peptide, the peptide was analyzed by truncations and
alanine substitutions of various amino acids. Two truncated
versions (from the N- and C-terminal) of the FG loop peptide were
produced: the nonamer Val 76-Ser 84 and the heptamer Ala 77-Lys 83.
Even though the truncated peptides were substantionally shorter
than the FG loop peptide, they both retained approximately 50% of
the stimulatory effect as compared to the entire FG loop peptide
(FIG. 5a), indicating that the turn region between the F and G
.alpha.-strands (Gln 80, Gln 81) and a few adjacent amino acids
from both sides of the turn are important for the interaction
between the FGF-receptor and the second F3 module of NCAM. The
heptameric peptide was subsequently analyzed by a so-called
Ala-scan in which a series of peptides, in which each amino acid
sequentially was substituted with an alanine, were tested. As can
be seen from FIG. 5a, substitution of any amino acid in the peptide
resulted in a decrease of the neuritogenic potency and a complete
loss of function was achieved if Glu 78, Asn 79, Gln 80, Gly 82,
Lys 83 were substituted with Ala, indicating that these residues
are important for interaction with the FGF-receptor. Double
substitution of the two amino acids from the turn region of the FG
loop (Gln 80, Gln 81) for alanines in the entire FG loop peptide
also resulted in a complete inactivation of the peptide (FIG. 5a).
These findings are corroborated by the fact that Asn 79, Gln 81,
Gly 82 and Lys 83 were perturbed in the second F3 module by binding
to the third module of the FGF-receptor. However, when the residues
which seem to be important for interaction with ATP (Tyr 74, Lys 83
and Lys 85) were substituted for alanines in the FG loop peptide,
the peptide retained about 60% of the stimulatory effect as
compared to the non-mutated peptide (FIG. 5a). The structure of the
heptameric peptide in the F3 module was compared to the known
three-dimensional structure of a natural ligand of the
FGF-receptor, basic FGF (PDB code: 4FGF, Eriksson et al., 1993),
and it was found that the peptide had a structure and sequence
similarity to a loop region in basic FGF, Ala 42-Arg 48. The
sequence and structure alignment of both of the peptides is shown
in FIG. 6a, b. The heptameric peptide derived from basic FGF and a
series of peptides with Ala substitutions were tested for their
capability to induce neritogenesis, and as can be seen from FIG.
5b, the peptide derived from basic FGF induced neurite outgrowth to
the same extent as the similar seven amino acids from the second F3
module of NCAM. Substitution of any amino acid for alanine resulted
in a complete loss of function.
[0198] Since ATP inhibited activation of the FGF-receptor by the
second F3 module of NCAM (FIG. 3), it was presumed that ATP also
could inhibit the neuritogenic activity of the module. To test this
assumption, neurons were stimulated with the below described
compounds in the presence of ATP or a non-hydrolysable analogue of
ATP, AMP-PCP (added at concentrations of 0, 0.4 or 1 mM). As can be
seen from FIG. 7, both ATP and AMP-PCP substantially reduced the
neuritogenic effect induced by the second F3 module and the FG loop
peptide, whereas when these compounds were added alone, they did
not have any effect. In case of AMP-PCP, a complete inhibition was
achieved of the effect of both the F3 module and the FG loop
peptide, and in case of ATP, a complete inhibition was achieved
only of the effect of the FG loop, indicating that ATP is a less
potent inhibitor than its non-hydrolysable analogue AMP-PCP. Most
significantly, when the amino acid residues of the FG loop presumed
to be of importance for ATP binding (Tyr 74, Lys 83 and Lys 85)
were substituted with alanines, the peptide retained its
neuritogenic potency. However, the stimulatory effect of the
peptide could no longer be inhibited by ATP (FIG. 7), supporting
the notion that ATP binding regulates interaction between the F3
module and the FGF-receptor.
[0199] These results indicate that activation of the FGF-receptor
in neurons by the second F3 module of NCAM induces neuritogenesis
and this effect can be inhibited by ATP.
Example 5
[0200] Survival Assay for Testing Compounds of the Invention:
[0201] Cerebellar granule neurons (CGN) from 7-days old rats are
grown for 7-8 days in the presence of high potassium (40 mM). Cells
are washed twice with serum-free culture medium (basal Eagle's
medium BME) containing low potassium (5 mM) and grown in serum-free
medium supplemented with FGL peptide for two days. Cultures are
assayed for cell survival (D'Mello et al., 1997; Villalba et al.,
1997; Skaper et
[0202] al., 1998), by measuring reduction of MTS. MTS is a novel
tetrazolium compound (Promega, USA), which is bioreduced by cells
into a formazan that is soluble in tissue culture medium. The
absorbance of the formazan at 490 nm is measured directly from 96
well assay plates without additional processing. The conversion of
MTS into the aqueous soluble formazan is accomplished by
dehydrogenase enzymes found in metabolically active cells. The
quantity of formazan product as measured by the amount of 490 nm
absorbance is directly proportional to the number of living cells
in culture (Yao and Cooper, 1995);
[0203] The number of cells were determined and the amount of cells
surviving in the presence of high-concentration of potassium was
set at 100%. As can be seen approx. On FIG. 8 only 60% survived in
the presence of brains-derived neurotrophic factor or basic
fibroblast growth factor. When FGL was added in a sode-range of
2-250 microgram per ml statistically significant survival was
observed up to 90% of the positive control at a dose of 250
microgram per ml of the monomeric form of the FGL peptide
Example 6
[0204] FG Loop Fragments and Variants
[0205] Peptides derived from the FG-lops of the neural cell
adhesion molecules L1 and NCAM (third F3-module of L1 and first F3
module of NCAM) were prepared in different lengths, see FIG. 9a,
and their effect on neurite outgrowth from primary hippocampal
neurons were tested adding the various peptides in a concentration
of 25 microM. FIG. 9b. The NCAM peptides are referred to as FN3,1
and the L1 peptides are referred to as L1. The variants indicated
in FIG. 9a are indicated by the number of amino acids in each
peptide. As can be seen from the figure, the peptides had a
stimulatory effect on neurite outgrowth reaching statistically
significance for the nine amino acid variant of the Fgloop of first
fibronectin type III module of NCAM and the nine amino acid variant
of the FG-loop of the third fibronectin type III-module of L1.
REFERENCES
[0206] Banga, A. K. (Editor). Therapeutic peptides and protein
formulation. Processing and delivery systems. Technomic Publishing
AG, Basel, 1995.
[0207] Berezin, V., Bock, E. and Poulsen, F. M.: The neural cell
adhesion molecule. Curr Opin Drug Disc Dev, 2000, 3:605-609.
[0208] Chan A W, Hutchinson E G, Harris D, Thornton J M.
Identification, classification, and analysis of beta-bulges in
proteins. Protein Sci 1993 October;2(10):1574-90
[0209] DeMello S. R., Borodezt K. and Soltoff S. P. (1997)
Insulin-like growth factor and potassium depolarization maintain
neuronal survival by distinct pathways: possible involvement of PI
3-kinase in IGF-1 signaling. J. Neurosci. 17:1548-1560.
[0210] Doherty P, Walsh F S. CAM-FGF Receptor Interactions: A Model
for Axonal Growth Mol Cell Neurosci. 1996 2/3:99-111.
[0211] Dzhandzhugazyan K, Bock E. Demonstration of
(Ca(2+)-Mg2+)-ATPase activity of the neural cell adhesion molecule.
FEBS Lett 1993 Dec. 27;336(2):279-83
[0212] Dzhandzhugazyan K, Bock E. Demonstration of an extracellular
ATP-binding site in NCAM: functional implications of nucleotide
binding. Biochemistry 1997 Dec. 9;36(49):15381-95
[0213] Eilers A, Whitfield J, Babij C, Rubin L L, Ham J. Role of
the Jun kinase pathway in the regulation of c-Jun expression and
apoptosis in sympathetic neurons. J. Neurosci. 1998 Mar.
1;18(5):1713-24.
[0214] Eriksson A E, Cousens L S, Matthews B W. Refinement of the
structure of human basic fibroblast growth factor at 1.6 A
resolution and analysis of presumed heparin binding sites by
selenate substitution. Protein Sci 1993 August;2(8):1274-84
[0215] Furka A, Sebestyen F, Asgedom M, Dibo G. General method for
rapid synthesis of multicomponent peptide mixtures. Int J Pept
Protein Res. 1991 June;37(6):487-93.
[0216] Hatten M E, Lynch M, Rydel R E, Sanchez J,
Joseph-Silverstein J, Moscatelli D, Rifkin D B. In vitro neurite
extension by granule neurons is dependent upon astroglial-derived
fibroblast growth factor. Dev Biol 1988 February;125(2):280-9
[0217] Horstkorte R, Schachner M, Magyar J P, Vorherr T, Schmitz B.
The fourth mmunoglobulin-like domain of NCAM contains a
carbohydrate recognition domain for
[0218] oligomannosidic glycans implicated in association with L1
and neurite outgrowth. J. Cell Biol. 1993 June;121(6):1409-21.
[0219] Hulley P, Schachner M, Lubbert H. L1 neural cell adhesion
molecule is a survival factor for fetal dopaminergic neurons. J
Neurosci Res. 1998 Jul. 15;53(2):129-34.
[0220] Jensen P H, Soroka V, Thomsen N K, Ralets I, Berezin V, Bock
E, Poulsen F M. Structure and interactions of NCAM modules 1 and 2,
basic elements in neural cell adhesion. Nat Struct Biol 1999
6:486-93
[0221] Kasper C, Rasmussen H, Kastrup J S, Ikemizu S, Jones E Y,
Berezin V, Bock E, Larsen I K. Structural basis of cell-cell
adhesion by NCAM. Nat Struct Biol 2000 May;7(5):389-93
[0222] Kiselyov W, Berezin V, Maar T E, Soroka V, Edvardsen K,
Schousboe A, Bock E. The first immunoglobulin-like neural cell
adhesion molecule (NCAM) domain is involved in double-reciprocal
interaction with the second immunoglobulin-like NCAM domain and in
heparin binding. J Biol Chem 1997 Apr. 11;272(15):10125-34
[0223] Lam K S, Salmon S E, Hersh E M, Hruby V J, Kazmierski W M,
Knapp R J. A new type of synthetic peptide library for identifying
ligand-binding activity. Nature. 1991 354:82-84.
[0224] Ranheim T S, Edelman G M, Cunningham B A. Homophilic
adhesion mediated by the neural cell adhesion molecule involves
multiple immunoglobulin domains. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1996 Apr.
30;93(9):4071-5
[0225] Rao Y, Wu X F, Gariepy J, Rutishauser U, Siu C H.
Identification of a peptide sequence involved in homophilic binding
in the neural cell adhesion molecule NCAM. J Cell Biol 1992
August;118(4):93749
[0226] Rao Y, Zhao X, Siu C H. Mechanism of homophilic binding
mediated by the neural cell adhesion molecule NCAM. Evidence for
isologous interaction. J. Biol. Chem. 1994 Nov.
4;269(44):27540-8.
[0227] Retzler C, Gohring W, Rauch U. Analysis of neurocan
structures interacting with the neural cell adhesion molecule
N-CAM. J. Biol. Chem. 1996 Nov. 1;271(44):27304-10.
[0228] Ronn L C, Bock E, Linnemann D, Jahnsen H. NCAM-antibodies
modulate induction of long-term potentiation in rat hippocampal
CA1. Brain Res. 1995 Apr. 17;677(1):145-51.
[0229] Ronn L C, Olsen M, Ostergaard S, Kiselyov V, Berezin V,
Mortensen M T, Lerche M H, Jensen P H, Soroka V, Saffell J L,
Doherty P, Poulsen F M, Bock E, Holm A, Saffells J L.
Identification of a neuritogenic ligand of the neural cell adhesion
molecule using a combinatorial library of synthetic peptides. Nat
Biotechnol. 1999 October;17(10):1000-5.
[0230] Ronn L C, Ralets I, Hartz B P, Bech M, Berezin A, Berezin V,
Moller A, Bock E. A simple procedure for quantification of neurite
outgrowth based on stereological principles. J Neurosci Methods.
2000 Jul. 31;100(1-2):25-32.
[0231] Sibanda B L, Blundell T L, Thornton J M. Conformation of
beta-hairpins in protein structures. A systematic classification
with applications to modelling by homology, electron density
fitting and protein engineering. J Mol Biol 1989 Apr.
20;206(4):759-77
[0232] Skaper S D, Floreani M, Negro A, Facci L, Giusti P.
Neurotrophins rescue cerebellar granule neurons from oxidative
stress-mediated apoptotic death: selective involvement of
phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and the mitogen-activated protein
kinase pathway. J. Neurochem. 1998 May;70(5):1859-68.
[0233] Skladchikova G, Ronn L C, Berezin V, Bock E. Extracellular
adenosine triphosphate affects neural cell adhesion molecule
(NCAM)-mediated cell adhesion and neurite outgrowth. J Neurosci Res
1999 Jul. 15;57(2):207-18
[0234] Villalba M, Bockaert J, Journot L. Pituitary adenylate
cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP-38) protects cerebellar
granule neurons from apoptosis by activating the mitogen-activated
protein kinase (MAP kinase) pathway. J. Neurosci. 1997 Jan.
1;17(1):83-90.
[0235] Wilmot C M, Thornton J M. Beta-turns and their distortions:
a proposed new nomenclature. Protein Eng. 1990 May;3(6):479-93.
[0236] Yao R, Cooper G M. Requirement for phosphatidylinositol-3
kinase in the prevention of apoptosis by nerve growth factor.
Science. 1995 Mar. 31;267(5206):2003-6.
* * * * *