Methods for ameliorating neurodegenerative disorders and methods for ameliorating inflammatory disorders comprising administering to said subject an effective amount of a polypeptide comprising, in order from N-terminus to C-terminus, R-X.sub.1-X.sub.2-X.sub.3-X.sub.4-X.sub.5-R wherein: R is optionally 1-5 additional ?-amino acids of either L-configuration or D configuration; X.sub.1 is any amino acid of either L-configuration or D-configuration; X.sub.2 is any amino acid of either L-configuration or D-configuration; X.sub.3 is Asp or Glu of either L-configuration or D-configuration; X.sub.4 is any amino acid of either L-configuration or D-configuration; X.sub.5 is any amino acid of either L-configuration or D-configuration; and R is optionally 1-5 additional ?-amino acids of either L-configuration or D-configuration, with the proviso that at least three of X.sub.1, X.sub.2, X.sub.3, X.sub.4, and X.sub.5 are of the D-configuration, wherein the N-terminus is optionally modified by acetylation, and wherein the C-terminus is optionally modified by amidation and/or methylation.

Methods for ameliorating neurodegenerative disorders and methods for ameliorating inflammatory disorders comprising administering to said subject an effective amount of a polypeptide comprising, in order from N-terminus to C-terminus, R-X.sub.1-X.sub.2-X.sub.3-X.sub.4-X.sub.5-R wherein: R is optionally 1-5 additional ?-amino acids of either L-configuration or D configuration; X.sub.1 is any amino acid of either L-configuration or D-configuration; X.sub.2 is any amino acid of either L-configuration or D-configuration; X.sub.3 is Asp or Glu of either L-configuration or D-configuration; X.sub.4 is any amino acid of either L-configuration or D-configuration; X.sub.5 is any amino acid of either L-configuration or D-configuration; and R is optionally 1-5 additional ?-amino acids of either L-configuration or D-configuration, with the proviso that at least three of X.sub.1, X.sub.2, X.sub.3, X.sub.4, and X.sub.5 are of the D-configuration, wherein the N-terminus is optionally modified by acetylation, and wherein the C-terminus is optionally modified by amidation and/or methylation.

The present invention includes a method of suppressing systemic immune response in a subject, the method comprising topically administering a pharmaceutically effective amount of a vitamin D analog to a subject in need thereof. The present invention further includes a method of treating an autoimmune disease in a subject, the method comprising topically administering a pharmaceutically effective amount of a vitamin D analog to a subject in need thereof.