Using chemical proteomics with a potent unique irreversible inhibitor, inventors found that major brain tubulin carboxypeptidase (TCP) is a complex of vasohibin-1 (VASH1) with the Small Vasohibin-Binding Protein (SVBP). VASH1 and its homologue vasohibin-2 (VASH2), when complexed with SVBP, exhibit robust and specific Tyr/Phe carboxypeptidase activity on microtubules. Accordingly inventors are the first to identify the enzymatic activity of vasohibin and vasohibin/SVBP complex. Knock down of vasohibins or SVBP in cultured neurons results in a marked reduction of tyrosinated α-tubulin levels and onset of severe differentiation defects. Furthermore, knock down of vasohibins disrupts neuronal migration in developing mouse neocortex. These results establish vasohibin/SVBP complexes as TCP enzymes. Accordingly, the present invention relates methods and pharmaceutical compositions for treating tubulin carboxypeptidases (TCP) associated diseases such as neurological disorders and cardiovascular diseases with an inhibitor of activity or expression of Vasohibin or Vasohibin/SVBP complex.

Using chemical proteomics with a potent unique irreversible inhibitor, inventors found that major brain tubulin carboxypeptidase (TCP) is a complex of vasohibin-1 (VASH1) with the Small Vasohibin-Binding Protein (SVBP). VASH1 and its homologue vasohibin-2 (VASH2), when complexed with SVBP, exhibit robust and specific Tyr/Phe carboxypeptidase activity on microtubules. Accordingly inventors are the first to identify the enzymatic activity of vasohibin and vasohibin/SVBP complex. Knock down of vasohibins or SVBP in cultured neurons results in a marked reduction of tyrosinated -tubulin levels and onset of severe differentiation defects. Furthermore, knock down of vasohibins disrupts neuronal migration in developing mouse neocortex. These results establish vasohibin/SVBP complexes as TCP enzymes. Accordingly, the present invention relates methods and pharmaceutical compositions for treating tubulin carboxypeptidases (TCP) associated diseases such as neurological disorders and cardiovascular diseases with an inhibitor of activity or expression of Vasohibin or Vasohibin/SVBP complex.

The invention relates to a method for purifying proteins having a tubulin carboxypeptidase activity from a biological extract, comprising polymerization/depolymerization cycle performed on a biological extract in presence of microtubules. The invention further relates to a peptidic based inhibitor for use in the treatment of a disorder involving altered microtubule detyrosination in an animal, wherein the peptidic based inhibitor comprises a peptidic moiety constituted of 1 to 20 amino acids, said peptidic moiety having an amino acid selected from Y or F at the C-terminal position, and wherein the peptidic based inhibitor inhibits at least partially a tubulin carboxypeptidase activity.

Described herein is a method for improving or stabilizing cardiac function by inhibiting tubulin carboxypeptidase (TCP). Also described herein is a method for treating heart failure in humans comprising dosing a patient with a therapeutic which interferes with detyrosinated microtubules in cardiomyocytes. Also provided are viral vectors which comprise a nucleic acid encoding a tubulin tyrosine ligase (TTL) gene under the control of regulatory elements direct expression thereof. Compositions are also provided which contain such viral vectors formulated for delivery to a human patient.

The invention relates to a method for purifying proteins having a tubulin carboxypeptidase activity from a biological extract, comprising polymerization/depolymerization cycle performed on a biological extract in presence of microtubules. The invention further relates to a peptidic based inhibitor for use in the treatment of a disorder involving altered microtubule detyrosination in an animal, wherein the peptidic based inhibitor comprises a peptidic moiety constituted of 1 to 20 amino acids, said peptidic moiety having an amino acid selected from Y or F at the C-terminal position, and wherein the peptidic based inhibitor inhibits at least partially a tubulin carboxypeptidase activity.