Regulation of lung tissue by patched therapeutics and formulations and uses related thereto

• US 7,691,593 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2003
• Issued: 04/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College (Harvard Corporation)
• Original Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College (Harvard Corporation)
• Inventors: Lewis, Paula, McMahon, Andrew P., Pepicelli, Carmen
• Primary Examiner(s): Bunner; Bridget E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Howard; Zachary C
• Application Number:
  US10/727,195
• Publication Number:
  US 20040171546A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,316 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 435/7.23
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 38/1709 from mammals
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 11/00 Drugs for disorders of the respiratory system
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 35/00 Antineoplastic agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 43/00 Drugs for specific purposes, not provided for in groups A61P1/00-A61P41/00
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 14/46 from vertebrates
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 5/0688 Cells from the lungs or the respiratory tract

Abstract

The present application relates to a method for modulating the growth state of an lung tissue, or a cell thereof, e.g., by ectopically contacting the tissue, in vitro or in vivo, with a hedgehog therapeutic, a ptc therapeutic, or an FGF-10 therapeutic in an amount effective to alter the rate (promote or inhibit) of proliferation of cells in the lung tissue, e.g., relative to the absence of administration of the hedgehog therapeutic or ptc therapeutic. The subject method can be used, for example, to modulate the growth state of epithelial and/or mesenchymal cells of a lung tissue, such as may be useful as part of a regimen for prevention of a disease state, or in the treatment of an existing disease state or other damage to the lung tissue.

Claims

1. A method of screening for an agent for inhibiting or reducing the proliferation or growth of lung cancer cells, comprising contacting lung cancer cells, which lung cancer cells are not squamous cell carcinoma cells, with an amount of an agent, wherein the agent is a small organic molecule, and determining, as compared to a control, whether the agent inhibits or attenuates hedgehog signaling and determining, as compared to a control, whether the agent inhibits or reduces cell proliferation or growth, wherein if the agent inhibits or attenuates the hedgehog signaling and inhibits or reduces cell proliferation or growth relative to the control, then an agent that inhibits or reduces the proliferation or growth of lung cancer cells is identified.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the lung cancer cells are in culture.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the lung cancer cells are in an animal.