Peptides enhancing CEH activity or inhibiting ACAT activity, pharmaceutical compositions comprising these peptides and their use in the treatment of atherosclerosis

摘要

There is disclosed an isolated peptide or a mimetic thereof which enhances cholesterol ester hydrolase activity, said isolated peptide comprising a formula: X 1 X 2 X 3 X 4 X 5 X 6 X 7 X 8 X 9 X 10 X 11 X 12 X 13 X 14 X 15 X 16 X 17 X 18 (SEQ ID NO: 29) or a portion thereof wherein X 1 and X 9 , X 12 or X 18 are amino acids capable of forming a salt bridge; X 6 is glutamic acid or lysine or an amino acid which is a conservative substitution thereof; and X 2 , X 3 , X 4 , X 5 , X 7 , X 8 , X 10 , X 11 , X 13 , X 14 , X 15 , X 16 , and X 17 are independently any amino acid, and wherein the isolated peptide or mimetic thereof has less than 80 amino acid residues with the proviso that said isolated peptide does not consist of: ADQEANRHGRSGKDPNYYRPPGLPAKY (SEQ ID NO : 9); or ADQAANEWGRSGKDPNHFRPAGLPEKY (SEQ ID NO : 24).