TSG6 polypeptide fragment for dry eye disease
Described herein is a treatment of dry eye disease and particularly, although not exclusively, to the treatment of dry eye disease with a LINK_TSG6 polypeptide.
1 . A method for treating dry eye disease (DED) in a subject, comprising administering topically to the subject one or more eye drops, wherein the one or more eye drops comprise an effective amount of a polypeptide comprising a Link module from Tumour necrosis factor-stimulated gene 6 (LINK_TSG6),
wherein the LINK_TSG6 consists of (i) the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7 or SEQ ID NO: 9, or (ii) the amino acid sequence having at least 90% identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7 or 9 and up to 100 amino acids in length; and
wherein the treating comprises healing of a corneal epithelial defect, and wherein healing of the corneal epithelial defect is determined by a decrease in ocular staining score as compared to (i) the subject prior to the administering or (ii) an untreated control.
2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method provides one or more effects selected from the group consisting of:
an increase in tear production;
suppression of inflammation; and
a higher number of conjunctival goblet cells.
3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method comprises administering the one or more eye drops two times per day.
4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method comprises administering the one or more eye drops less than four times per day.
5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises co-administration with one or more of prednisolone, cyclosporine, Lifitegrast or artificial tears.
6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method comprises administering to the subject the one or more eye drops comprising about 10-200 μg of the polypeptide per eye.
7 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the suppression of inflammation comprises a decrease in production of one or more pro-inflammatory cytokines in the subject's cornea or intraorbital lacrimal glands; wherein the pro-inflammatory cytokines are optionally selected from TNF-α, IL-6, IFN-γ and IL-1β.
8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the subject has Sjögren's syndrome.
9 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the method comprises administering to the subject the one or more eye drops comprising 120-150 μg of the polypeptide per eye.