Peptide for promoting activation of latent TGF-β and screening method for TGF-β activity regulating compound

摘要

Provided are peptides having an activity to promote the release of active TGF- beta from latent TGF- beta or an activity to promote the binding of latent TGF- beta to a cell membrane which are represented by general formula (I): R1-A-R2 (wherein R1 represents hydrogen, or substituted or unsubstituted alkanoyl, etc.; R2 represents hydroxy, or substituted or unsubstituted alkoxy or amino; and A represents an amino acid sequence which is selected from partial sequences of a TGF- beta precursor sequence); methods of screening compounds to be used for the treatment or prevention of TGF- beta -related diseases which comprise evaluating the above activities; and compounds obtainable by such methods and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. Said compounds and peptides are useful for the treatment or prevention of diseases such as cancer, diabetic retinopathy, atherosclerosis, etc.