摘要 |
The present invention relates to antagonists of vertebrate growth hormones obtained by mutation of the third alpha helix of such proteins (especially bovine or human GHs). These mutants-have growth-inhibitory or other GH-antagonizing effects. These novel hormones may be administered exogenously to animals, or transgenic animals may be made that express the antagonist. Animals have been made which exhibited a reduced growth phenotype. The invention also describes methods of treating acromegaly, gigantism, cancer, diabetes, vascular eye diseases (diabetic retinopathy, retinopathy of prematurity, age-related macular degeneration, retinopathy of sickle-cell anemia, etc.) as well as nephropathy and other diseases, by administering an effective amount of a growth hormone antagonist. The invention also provides pharmaceutical formulations comprising one or more growth hormone antagonists.
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