SHIP-deficiency to increase megakaryocyte progenitor production

• US 7,807,646 B1
• Filed: 11/22/2004
• Issued: 10/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of South Florida (State University System of Florida)
• Original Assignee: University of South Florida (State University System of Florida)
• Inventors: Desponts, Caroline, Kerr, William G., Perez, Lia Elena
• Primary Examiner(s): Chong; Kimberly
• Application Number:
  US10/904,667
• Time in Patent Office: 2,143 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 514/44.00R
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 7/00 Drugs for disorders of the blood or the extracellular fluid
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 2501/70 Enzymes
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 5/0644 Platelets; Megakaryocytes

Abstract

A method of increasing megakaryocytes and platelet numbers in a patient comprising the step of inhibiting SHIP expression, including SHIP'"'"'s enzymatic activity and signaling functions, whereby normal blood clotting is induced.

Claims

1. A method of increasing the yield of megakaryocyte progenitors from a human patient, ex vivo, comprising the steps of:

harvesting target cells comprising megakaryocyte progenitors from a patient;

inhibiting SH2-domain-containing inositol 5′

-phosphatase (SHIP) expression in the megakaryocyte progenitors using RNA interference; and

contacting the megakaryocyte progenitors with cellular growth factors, wherein the number of megakaryocyte progenitors is thereby increased.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the step of reinfusing the megakaryocyte progenitors into the patient after the contacting step.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the cellular growth factors are human cellular growth factors.