Patent ID: 7329650

Claim:
An isolated nucleic acid encoding a peptide consisting of the formula: X 1 -X 2 -X 3 -X 4 -X 5 -X 6 -X 7 -X 8 -X 9 -X 10 -X 11 -X 12 -X 13 -X 14 -X 15 -X 16 -X 17 wherein: X 1 is an apolar residue; X 2 is a hydrophobic residue; X 3 is an acidic or an aliphatic residue; X 4 is a basic residue; X 5 is an apolar residue; X 6 is an aromatic residue; X 7 is a polar residue; X 8 is an aliphatic residue; X 9 is an acidic or an aliphatic residue; X 10 is an aromatic residue; X 11 is an aromatic residue; X 12 is a polar residue; X 13 is Ile; X 14 is an apolar residue; X 15 is an acidic residue; X 16 is a polar residue; and X 17 is a basic or an aliphatic residue; wherein the peptide reduces cell-associated binding of transferrin as measured in an in vitro cellular binding assay and produces at least an additive effect with soluble HFE/β 2 m heterodimers in reducing cell-associated binding of transferrin as measured in the assay.