Proteolysis Resistant Active VEGF

Abstract

The invention relates to endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in which the alanine at AA position 111 is replaced by proline. The arginine at AA position 110 may moreover be replaced by another amino acid. The invention also relates to derivatives of the VEGF according to the invention, nucleic acids, expression systems, medicaments and the use of the VEGF mutants of the invention for the treatment of chronic wounds.

1 .- 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A method for inhibiting plasmin, inducing neoangiogenesis, and/or inhibiting matrix degradation comprising administering to a patient in need thereof an effective amount of a VEGF variant comprising:
 an amino acid sequence, wherein said amino acid sequence is the amino acid sequence of a native vascular endothelial growth factor in which at least one amino acid at positions 110 or 111 of the native vascular endothelial growth factor is replaced by proline or is deleted, wherein plasmin is inhibited, neoangiogenesis is induced and/or matrix degradation is inhibited.   
     
     
         18 . The methods of  claim 17 , wherein at least one further amino acid at the other of the positions 110 or 111 of the VEGF variant is replaced or is deleted. 
     
     
         19 . The methods of  claim 17 , wherein an alanine at position 111 of the native vascular endothelial growth factor is replaced by proline. 
     
     
         20 . The methods of  claim 19 , wherein an arginine at position 110 of the native vascular endothelial growth factor is replaced by another amino acid. 
     
     
         21 . The methods of  claim 20 , wherein said another amino acid is proline. 
     
     
         22 . The methods of  claim 17 , wherein an arginine at position 110 of the native vascular endothelial growth factor is replaced by proline. 
     
     
         23 . The methods of  claim 17 , wherein an alanine at position 111 of the native vascular endothelial growth factor is replaced by another amino acid. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said another amino acid is proline. 
     
     
         25 . The methods of  claim 17 , wherein the VEGF variant is in the form of any of the splice variants VEGF 121 , VEGF 145 , VEGF 165 , VEGF 183 , VEGF 189  or VEGF 206 . 
     
     
         26 . The methods of  claim 17 , wherein the VEGF 165  variant has one of the amino acid sequences SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO:2. 
     
     
         27 . The methods of  claim 17 , wherein the amino acid chain is modified or derivatized and/or comprises mutations, insertions and/or deletions and/or has a signal sequence. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the signal sequence is connected N-terminally to the amino acid chain of the VEGF variant and has the sequence of SEQ ID NO:3. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the an amino acid at position 111 of the native vascular endothelial growth factor is replaced by proline or is deleted and wherein an amino acid at position 110 is maintained or replaced with lysine. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the amino acid at position 111 of the native vascular endothelial growth factor is replaced by proline. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the amino acid at position 110 of the native vascular endothelial growth factor is replaced by lysine.