Homing peptides to receptors of heart vasculature

A method for determining a young heart or young areas of a heart vasculature in a mammal comprising:

• a) administering a peptide comprising the amino acid sequence QA(Q/E)GQLV or functionally equivalent modifications thereof, conjugated to a detectable marker, wherein said first peptide selectively homes to TNF receptor(s) in a vasculature of the heart;
• and
• b) detecting the marker;
• wherein a disproportionately high binding of QA(Q/E)GQLV is a young heart or young areas of a heart vasculature.

A method for determining an old heart or old areas of a heart vasculature in a mammal comprising:

• a) administering a peptide comprising the amino acid sequence ARRGQAV or G(R/W)RFIRV or functionally equivalent modifications thereof, conjugated to a detectable marker, wherein said first peptide selectively homes to BDNF receptor(s) in a vasculature of the heart;
• and
• b) detecting the marker;
• wherein a disproportionately high binding of ARRGQAV or G(R/W)RFIRV is an old heart or old areas of a heart vasculature.

A method for determining the condition of a vasculature of a heart in a mammal comprising:

• a) administering a first peptide comprising the amino acid sequence QA(Q/E)GQLV or functionally equivalent modifications thereof, conjugated to a first detectable marker, wherein said first peptide selectively homes to TNF receptor(s) in the vasculature of the heart;
• b) administering a second peptide comprising the amino acid sequence ARRGQAV or G(R/W)RFIRV or functionally equivalent modifications thereof, conjugated to a second detectable marker, wherein said second peptide homes to BDNF receptor(s) in the vasculature of the heart;
• and
• c) detecting the first and second marker;
• wherein a disproportionately high ratio of binding of the first peptide to the second peptide indicates a young heart or young areas of the heart vasculature or wherein a disproportionately low ratio of binding of the first peptide to the second peptide indicates an old heart or old areas of the heart vasculature.

A method for discovering mimics of amino acid sequence QA(Q/E)GQLV or functionally equivalent modifications thereof, comprising:

• a) determining a three-dimensional structure of said sequence;
• b) identifying compounds comprising said structure;
• and
• c) determining the capacity of said compounds for selective homing to TNF receptor(s) in a heart vasculature of a mammal;
• wherein compounds which selectively home to TNF receptor(s) in the vasculature of the heart are mimics.

A method for discovering mimics of amino acid sequence ARRGQAV or G(R/W)RFIRV or functionally equivalent modifications thereof, comprising:

• a) determining a three-dimensional structure of said sequence;
• b) identifying compounds comprising said structure;
• and
• c) determining the capacity of said compounds for homing to BDNF receptor(s) in a heart vasculature of a mammal;
• wherein compounds which home to BDNF receptor(s) in the vasculature of the heart are a mimics.