A pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating cartilage diseases, and pharmaceutical preparation that includes the pharmaceutical composition as an active ingredient are provided. The pharmaceutical composition includes, as an active ingredient, at least one of an integrin beta-like 1 (ITGBL1) protein, ITGBL1 DNA or RNA encoding the

A pharmaceutically acceptable aqueous gel composition comprising a gelling agent, magnesium and/or manganese, or bivalent ions thereof, and an mRNA molecule encoding a protein of interest; and methods for inducing or facilitating repair, re-generation or generation of tissue in a human or animal subject, comprising administering the composition to the site of the tissue to be repaired, re-generated or generated.

The present invention provides peptide conjugates that target an integrin such as ?.sub.v?.sub.6 integrin. In particular embodiments, the peptide conjugates comprise a moiety such as a PEG moiety, an imaging agent, or a therapeutic agent. The peptide conjugates of the present invention are particularly useful for imaging a tumor, organ, or tissue. Compositions and kits containing the peptide conjugates of the present invention are also provided herein.

Described herein are modified integrin ? and/or ? headpiece polypeptides, and crystallizable integrin polypeptide dimers comprising a modified integrin ? and/or ? headpiece polypeptide and a disulfide bond linking the two integrin headpiece polypeptide subunits. Methods for using the modified integrin ? and/or ? headpiece polypeptides and the integrin polypeptide dimers are also provided herein. For example, methods for characterizing integrin-ligand interaction and identifying integrin ligands are also provided herein. In some embodiments, the identified integrin ligands can be used as inhibitors of integrins.

The present disclosure provides methods and composition for treating multi-drug resistant cancers, in particular, breast cancers, via administration to a subject the composition including a peptide having a sequence complementary to a highly conserved motif present in substantially all integrins responsible for an integrin-mediated attachment-independent chemoresistance to one or more chemotherapeutic agents. The binding of the sequence of the peptide to the highly conserved motif will enhance accumulation of the chemotherapeutic agents in the tumor-initiating cells and in turn restores the function of the chemotherapeutic agents in the tumor-initiating cells.

The present disclosure provides methods and composition for treating multi-drug resistant cancers, in particular, breast cancers, via administration to a subject the composition including a peptide having a sequence complementary to a highly conserved motif present in substantially all integrins responsible for an integrin-mediated attachment-independent chemoresistance to one or more chemotherapeutic agents. The binding of the sequence of the peptide to the highly conserved motif will enhance accumulation of the chemotherapeutic agents in the tumor-initiating cells and in turn restores the function of the chemotherapeutic agents in the tumor-initiating cells.

The present invention is directed to modified integrin proteins and methods and compositions using integrin-based therapeutics. In one embodiment, the modified integrins demonstrate increased occurrence or duration of the EH+ integrin protein conformation. In another embodiment, the compounds of the present invention stabilize EH+ integrin protein conformation, increasing the occurrence or duration of the EH+ integrin protein conformation. In another embodiment, the compounds of the present invention inhibit binding of a ligand of an integrin. In yet a further embodiment, the present compounds increase cis binding of the integrin or signaling based thereon. The present compounds decrease the occurrence or duration of trans binding of the integrin or signaling based thereon. The modified integrins and compounds described herein may be used in methods of treating immune modulated diseases or inflammatory diseases or conditions.

The present invention provides a method of treating cancer with an integrin-binding-Fc fusion protein alone or in combination with IL-2 and/or an immune stimulant (i.e., an immune checkpoint stimulator), and/or an immune checkpoint inhibitor. The invention also provides composition for use in such methods.

Disclosed herein are compositions and methods for inhibiting collagen production mediated by the Fused in Sarcoma (FUS) ribonucleoprotein. As disclosed herein, the C terminal domain of FUS contains an uncommon nuclear localization sequence (NLS) motif called PY-NLS that binds the nuclear import receptor transportin. Phosphorylation of FUS leads to its association with transportin and nuclear translocation with consequent increased in collagen production. Therefore, disclosed herein is an isolated peptide having a transportin-binding moiety, which inhibits FUS from binding transportin, linked to a membrane translocating motif. These compositions and methods can be used to inhibit FUS-mediated collagen production, and treat fibrotic disease involving FUS-mediated collagen accumulation in kidneys and other organs displaying fibrotic diseases.

The present disclosure relates to methods for identifying proteins or peptide motifs of intracellular, extracellular, or extracellular matrix proteins specifically exposed in wound sites, as well as compositions for treating wounds, and methods for their use.