Q-ER peptide

Abstract

Abstract The invention relates to means and methods for the treatment of diseases involving autophagy by cells, which process according to the invention is involved in mechanisms of tissue repair, vascular permeability and immune responses. The invention provides methods and means to target the elastin receptor complex specifically and to provide molecules and compositions comprising a specific targeting agent as well as amino acid compositions that are involved in the pathway of autophagy and the diseases related thereto. The disclosure also relates to peptide-drug development, in particular to (the improvement of) autophagy inhibiting amino acid containing peptides, more in particular glutamine-containing peptides and / or glutamine and other autophagy modulating amino acid containing compositions useful in the treatment of vascular and inflammatory conditions. The invention further relates to the improvement of glutamine peptides useful in the treatment of diabetic, vascular and / or inflammatory conditions. The invention provides a Q- ER peptide, comprising a synthetic peptide or functional analogue thereof provided with at least one PG-domain amino acid motif xGxxPG or functional equivalent thereof, said PG- domain motif allowing targeting of said peptide to the elastin receptor complex (ER), wherein at least one amino acid at position x is selected from the group of amino acids alanine (in one letter code: A), glutamine (Q), glycine (G), valine (V), leucine (L), isoleucine (I), proline (P) and arginine, said peptide provided with at least one glutamine (Q). 20 26 23 41 59 21 S ep 2 02 6 2 0 2 6 2 3 4 1 5 9 2 1 2 0 2 6 S e p