Compositions comprising modified collagen and uses therefor

Abstract

The invention provides modified collagen and related therapeutic and diagnostic methods.

1 .- 77 . (canceled) 
     
     
         78 . A diagnostic marker comprising a detectable collagen mimetic peptide (CMP) conjugate, wherein the CMP conjugate comprises:
 a) a collagen mimetic peptide consisting of Z-[X-Y-Gly] 2-20  repeat unit (SEQ ID NO: 1), wherein Z is any amino acid, X is proline or modified proline, Y is proline or modified proline;   b) a conjugate selected from the group consisting of a nanoparticle, a cell adhesion molecule, a detectable label, a contrast agent, a growth factor, a component of the extracellular matrix, a polymer, PEG, and a small molecule; and   wherein the diagnostic marker is capable of binding collagen and detecting a disease characterized by disruption of collagen structure.   
     
     
         79 . (canceled) 
     
     
         80 . (canceled) 
     
     
         81 . The diagnostic marker of  claim 78 , wherein the marker detects the disease by binding to a collagen selected from the group consisting of collagen type 1-type 29. 
     
     
         82 . The diagnostic marker of  claim 78 , wherein collagen bound is type I, II, III, IV, IX, X, or XI. 
     
     
         83 . The diagnostic marker of  claim 78 , wherein the disease is selected from the group consisting of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, osteogenesis imperfecta, achondrogenesis type 2, hypochondrogenesis, Kniest dysplasia, otospondylomegaepiphyseal dysplasia, spondyloepimetaphyseal dysplasia, Strudwick type, spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenital spondyloperipheral dysplasia, Stickler syndrome, and Weissenbacher-Zweymiiller. 
     
     
         84 . The diagnostic marker of  claim 78 , wherein the marker is detectable using transmission electron microscopy. 
     
     
         85 . A method for diagnosing a subject as having or having a propensity to develop a disease characterized by disruption of a collagen structure, the method comprising:
 a) obtaining a collagen sample from a subject;   b) providing a reference non-diseased collagen sample;   c) contacting the sample of a) and the reference sample of b) with a diagnostic marker comprising a detectable CMP-conjugate;   d) comparing the binding of the diagnostic marker to a) with the binding of the diagnostic marker to b); and   e) diagnosing a subject as having or having a propensity to develop a disease characterized by disruption of a collagen by detecting an alteration in the collagen structure present in the sample of the subject, when compared to the reference non-diseased collagen sample.   
     
     
         86 . The method of  claim 85 , wherein the diagnostic marker comprises a gold nanoparticle. 
     
     
         87 . The method of  claim 85 , wherein the detectable CMP-conjugate binds a collagen selected from the group consisting of collagen type 1-type 29. 
     
     
         88 . The method of  claim 85 , wherein the collagen bound is type I, II, III, IV, IX, X, or XI. 
     
     
         89 .- 136 . (canceled) 
     
     
         137 . A diagnostic marker that detects a vessel having or having an increased propensity to develop a thrombosis relative to a control vessel, the marker comprising a detectable collagen mimetic peptide (CMP) conjugate, wherein the CMP conjugate comprises:
 a) a collagen mimetic peptide consisting of Z-[X-Y-Gly] 2-20  repeat unit (SEQ ID NO: 1), wherein Z is any amino acid, X is proline or modified proline, Y is proline or modified proline;   b) a conjugate selected from the group consisting of a nanoparticle, a cell adhesion molecule, a detectable label, a contrast agent, a growth factor, a component of the extracellular matrix, a polymer, PEG, and a small molecule: and    wherein the diagnostic marker is capable of binding type III collagen.   
     
     
         138 . The diagnostic marker of  claim 137 , wherein the marker detects the presence of a thrombosis in the vessel. 
     
     
         139 . (canceled) 
     
     
         140 . The diagnostic marker of  claim 137 , wherein the marker detects a vessel having a propensity to develop a thrombosis. 
     
     
         141 .- 228 . (canceled) 
     
     
         229 . The diagnostic marker of  claim 78 , wherein the conjugate is a gold nanoparticle.