Methods for detecting the presence of advanced glycosylation endproducts

A method for detecting the presence of advanced glycosylation endproducts (AGEs) in a sample comprising

• a) contacting the sample with a molecule effective to bind AGEs in a biological sample under conditions where specific binding of the molecule and AGEs can occur, said molecule having a structure corresponding to R.sub.1 Cys.sub.1 Xaa.sub.n Cys.sub.2 R.sub.2 (SEQ ID NOS:1-9), wherein Cys.sub.1 and Cys.sub.2 may be cross-linked and Cys.sub.1 and Cys.sub.2 together with Xaa.sub.n is an AGE-binding, hydrophilic peptide sequence;
• R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are each independently a polypeptide, a C.sub.1 to C.sub.12 alky, aryl, heteroalkyl, or heteroaryl group, or hydrogen;
• Xaa is any .alpha.-amino acid;
• and n=13-18, and wherein the hydrophilic nature of the peptide sequence is determined by the Hopp-Woods method;
• and
• b) detecting binding of the molecule to an AGE in the sample;
• wherein detection of binding of the molecule to said AGE in the sample is indicative of the presence of AGEs in the sample.