Patent ID: 7365172

Claim:
A transforming growth factor-α (TGFα) mimetic peptide, comprising: (a) a first amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:4: X 1a -Cys-His-Ser-X 1b -—X 2 —X 1a —X 1b —X 1a —X 3 -Cys [SEQ ID NO:4] wherein Cys at position 11 in SEQ ID NO:4 comprises a C terminus; and (b) added to the C terminus of (a), a second amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:5: —X 4 -His-X 1c —X 4 —X 5 —X 6 —X 1c [SEQ ID NO:5] to obtain a TGFα mimetic peptide of 18 amino acids that comprises a combination of said first and second amino acid sequences, wherein X 1a , X 1b and X 1c are independently Val, Gly or Ala, wherein X 2 is Tyr or Phe, wherein X 3 is Arg or Lys, wherein X 4 is Glu or Asp, wherein X 5 is Leu or Ile, wherein X 6 is Asp or Glu, wherein the C terminus Cys at position 11 in SEQ ID NO:4 forms a disulfide bond with Cys at position 2 in SEQ ID NO:4, and wherein the TGFα mimetic peptide exhibits TGFα biological activity.