Compositions for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases

Abstract

Isolated peptides are provided, being less than 20 amino acids in length. The peptides comprising an amino acid sequence GVLYVGSKTREGV (SEQ ID NO: 12) AAATGLVKREE (SEQ ID NO: 13) or GVVAAAEKTKQG (SEQ ID NO: 14), mimetics and/or fragment thereof, the peptides being capable of inhibiting alpha synuclein aggregation. Pharmaceutical compositions comprising same are also provided as well as uses thereof.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An isolated or synthetic peptide being less than 20 amino acids in length, the peptide comprising the amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1, 2, 3 or 4. 
     
     
         2 . The peptide of  claim 1 , comprising a synthetic beta breaker amino acid. 
     
     
         3 . The peptide of  claim 1 , wherein said amino acid sequence comprises at least one D-amino acid residue. 
     
     
         4 . The peptide of  claim 1 , wherein said amino acid sequence consists of D-amino acid residues. 
     
     
         5 . The peptide of  claim 1 , comprising an end cap modification. 
     
     
         6 . The peptide of  claim 5 , wherein said end cap modification comprises at least one of N-terminus acetylation and C-terminus amidation. 
     
     
         7 . The peptide of  claim 1 , being a decamer. 
     
     
         8 . The peptide of  claim 1 , being a cyclic peptide. 
     
     
         9 . The peptide of  claim 1  comprising an amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1. 
     
     
         10 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising as an active ingredient the peptide of  claim 1  and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. 
     
     
         11 . A method of inhibiting alpha-synuclein aggregation, the method comprising contacting alpha-synuclein with the peptide of  claim 1 , thereby inhibiting alpha-synuclein aggregation. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein inhibition of alpha synuclein aggregation comprises inhibition of alpha synuclein oligomerization, inhibition of alpha synuclein fibril formation or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         13 . A method of treating or preventing a medical condition associated with alpha-synuclein aggregation, the method comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of the peptide of  claim 1 , thereby treating the medical condition associated with alpha-synuclein aggregation. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said medical condition is selected from the group consisting of Parkinson's disease (PD), Alzheimer's disease (AD), diffuse Lewy body disease, mixed AD-PD, multiple system atrophy, Hallervorden-Spatz disease and Huntington's chorea. 
     
     
         15 . A method of detecting alpha-synuclein monomers, the method comprising:
 (a) contacting a biological sample suspected of comprising said alpha-synuclein monomers with the peptide of  claim 1  under conditions which allow complex formation between said monomers and said peptide; and   (b) detecting presence or level of said complex, thereby detecting alpha-synuclein monomers.