| abstract |
The present invention provides peptide-based peroxidase inhibitors having the formula AA 1 -AA 2 -AA 3 , wherein AA 1 is a positively charged, negatively charged or neutral amino acid, AA 2 is a redox active amino acid, and AA 3 is an amino acid possessing a reducing potential such that AA 3 is capable of undergoing a redox reaction with a radical of amino acid AA 2 or a retro or retro-inverso analog thereof. The result of such a combination is a highly effective inhibitor of peroxidase activity that has potent anti-inflammatory properties in widely diverse models of vascular disease and injury. Exemplary tripeptides effectively inhibit peroxidase mediated LDL oxidation, increase vasodilation in SCD mice, inhibit eosinophil infiltration and collagen deposition in asthma mice, inhibit acute lung injury, and decrease ischemic injury of the heart. |