Apolipoprotein mimetic peptides are short amphipathic peptides that share the same biologic properties as full-length apolipoproteins and are being investigated as possible therapeutic agents for atherosclerosis. One such peptide is the 5A peptide, which is a bihelical amphipathic peptide that contains the 18A sequence in the first helix and a modified 18A sequence containing 5 Ala substitutions in the second helix. Studies using a series of 5A peptide analogs demonstrated that only peptides with hydrophobic amino acids in the hinge region were able to readily bind and solubilize phospholipid vesicles. These results were verified in vivo and provide a rationale for future design of therapeutic apolipoprotein mimetic peptides.
See article at J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2013, 344:50–58.
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