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