Abstract

Disease-Specific Vascular Markers for Cancer, Atherosclerosis and Brain Diseases

Erkki Ruoslahti, Distinguished Professor, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute

We study peptides that home to specific targets in the body. We discover the homing peptides by screening phage libraries for peptides that direct homing of phages to the target tissue in vivo. The homing peptides, which usually bind to receptors in the vessels of the target tissue, can be used to selectively deliver diagnostic probes and drugs to the target. The latest development is the discovery of tumor-penetrating peptides. These peptides activate an endocytic bulk transport pathway we have dubbed the CendR pathway, which can enhance the exit from blood and tissue penetration co-administered compounds even without chemical coupling to the peptide (Ruoslahti, Adv Mater. (2012) 24 3747). We have also identified peptides specific for atherosclerotic plaques, accumulate at the site of a brain injury or recognize the blood vessels in Alzheimer’s disease brain. Our homing frequency have an intrinsic biological active I the disease they target. Examples of the peptide discovery process from initial screening to clinical trials will be given.