In alternative embodiments, the invention provides methods for treating, ameliorating or protecting (preventing) an individual or a patient against a disease, an infection or a condition responsive to an increased paracrine polypeptide level in vivo comprising: providing a paracrine polypeptide-encoding nucleic acid or gene operatively linked to a transcriptional regulatory sequence; or an expression vehicle, a vector, a recombinant virus, or equivalent, having contained therein a paracrine-encoding nucleic acid or gene, and the expression vehicle, vector, recombinant virus, or equivalent can express the paracrine-encoding nucleic acid or gene in a cell or in vivo; and administering or delivering the paracrine polypeptide-encoding nucleic acid or gene operatively linked to a transcriptional regulatory sequence, or the expression vehicle, vector, recombinant virus, or equivalent, to an individual or a patient in need thereof, thereby treating, ameliorating or protecting (preventing) the individual or patient against the disease, infection or condition responsive to an increased paracrine polypeptide level.

Ucn2 derivatives comprising a peptide and a substituent with high potency, high physical and high chemical stability, suitable for administration to humans, and their medical use in treatment and/or prevention of obesity and/or diabetes.

The present invention relates to peptide modifier compounds of Formula (1), or a salt thereof, wherein: a is an integer from 1 to 10, more preferably from 1 to 3; b is an integer from 0 to 7; Z is a terminal group and Y is a bivalent group. Further aspects of the invention relate to intermediates in the preparation of compounds of Formula (1), and the use of compounds of Formula 1 in the synthesis of peptide derivatives. ##STR00001##

The present invention relates to novel peptides, composition comprising such peptides including nutritional supplements and methods for inducing satiation and satiety, for weight management and preventing or reducing the incidence of obesity, or for preventing or reducing cardiovascular diseases, atherosclerosis, hypertension, hepatosteatosis, cancer and/or diabetes.

A medicament for preventing or treating heart failure containing an antagonist of the corticotropin releasing hormone receptor 2 as an active ingredient.

Disclosed herein are materials and methods for the treatment of stress-related disorders and cancer. The disclosure provides an antibody, or antigen binding fragment thereof, that specifically binds to a region of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH). The disclosure also provides methods of treating a disorder associated with HPA axis activation, such as a stress-related disorder or cancer, comprising administering to a subject in need thereof an antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof described herein in an amount effective to treat the disorder.

The present invention relates to novel peptides, composition comprising such peptides including nutritional supplements and methods for inducing satiation and satiety, for weight management and preventing or reducing the incidence of obesity, or for preventing or reducing cardiovascular diseases, atherosclerosis, hypertension, hepatosteatosis, cancer and/or diabetes.

In alternative embodiments, the invention provides methods for treating, ameliorating or protecting (preventing) an individual or a patient against a disease, an infection or a condition responsive to an increased paracrine polypeptide level in vivo comprising: providing a paracrine polypeptide-encoding nucleic acid or gene operatively linked to a transcriptional regulatory sequence; or an expression vehicle, a vector, a recombinant virus, or equivalent, having contained therein a paracrine-encoding nucleic acid or gene, and the expression vehicle, vector, recombinant virus, or equivalent can express the paracrine-encoding nucleic acid or gene in a cell or in vivo; and administering or delivering the paracrine polypeptide-encoding nucleic acid or gene operatively linked to a transcriptional regulatory sequence, or the expression vehicle, vector, recombinant virus, or equivalent, to an individual or a patient in need thereof, thereby treating, ameliorating or protecting (preventing) the individual or patient against the disease, infection or condition responsive to an increased paracrine polypeptide level.

Despite the notion that human CD8.sup.+ T cells are the final mediators of autoimmune -cell destruction in type 1 diabetes (T1D), none of their target epitopes has been demonstrated to be naturally processed and presented by cells. The inventors therefore performed an epitope discovery study combining HLA Class I peptidomics and transcriptomics strategies. Inflammatory cytokines increased -cell peptide presentation in vitro, paralleling upregulation of HLA Class I expression. Peptide sources included known -cell antigens and several insulin granule proteins. Urocortin 3 was identified as a novel -cell antigen, which was processed into HLA-A2- and HLA-A3-restricted epitopes recognized by circulating naive CD8.sup.+ T cells in type 1 diabetic and healthy donors. Accordingly, the present invention relates to antigenic peptides derived from urocortin-3 and uses thereof for the diagnosis and treatment of T1D.

The present invention relates to peptide modifier compounds of Formula (1), or a salt thereof, wherein: a is an integer from 1 to 10, more preferably from 1 to 3; b is an integer from 0 to 7; Z is a terminal group and Y is a bivalent group. Further aspects of the invention relate to intermediates in the preparation of compounds of Formula (1), and the use of compounds of Formula (1) in the synthesis of peptide derivatives.

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