Method and compositions for treating asthma

1. A method of treating an inflammatory condition of the lung characterized by an increase in allergen-induced airway hyper responsiveness and mucus-containing cells in a mammalian subject, said method comprising administering to said subject an antibody to IL-13 or an IL-13 binding fragment thereof in an amount sufficient to decrease the lung inflammation in the subject, thereby treating the lung inflammatory condition in said subject.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said method comprises administering an antibody to IL-13.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said method comprises administering an IL-13 binding fragment of an antibody to IL-13.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said antibody or an IL-13 binding fragment thereof antagonizes binding of IL-13 to the human IL-13 binding chain.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said IL-13 antibody or an IL-13 binding fragment thereof is administered by intravenous, cutaneous, or subcutaneous injection.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said IL-13 antibody or an IL-13 binding fragment thereof is administered by intravenous injection.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said antibody is administered for about 12 to 24 hours of continuous administration.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said IL-13 antibody or an IL-13 binding fragment thereof is administered at a dose of about 0.1 μg to about 100 mg per kg body weight.

9. A method of ameliorating allergen-induced airway hyper responsiveness or allergen-induced increase in mucus-containing cells in an airway epithelium, in a mammalian subject, said method comprising administering to said subject an antibody to IL-13 or an IL-13 binding fragment thereof in an amount sufficient to reduce the airway hyper responsiveness or reduce the increase of mucus-containing cells in the airway epithelium, thereby ameliorating the allergen-induced airway hyper responsiveness or the increase of mucus-containing cells in the airway epithelium in said subject.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said method comprises administering an antibody to IL-13.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein said method comprises administering an IL-13 binding fragment of an antibody to IL-13.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein said IL-13 antibody or an IL-13 binding fragment thereof antagonizes binding of IL-13 to the human IL-13 binding chain.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein said IL-13 antibody or an IL-13 binding fragment thereof is administered by intravenous, cutaneous, or subcutaneous injection.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein said antibody is administered for about 12 to 24 hours of continuous administration.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein said IL-13 antibody or an IL-13 binding fragment thereof is administered at a dose of about 0.1 μg to about 100 mg per kg body weight.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the allergen-induced increase in airway hyper responsiveness is reduced.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the administration of said IL-13 antibody or IL-13 binding fragment thereof results in complete reversal of allergen-induced increase in airway hyper responsiveness.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the administration of said IL-13 antibody or IL-13 binding fragment thereof results in complete reversal of the allergen-induced increase in mucus-containing cells in the airway epithelium.

19. The method of claim 9 , wherein the allergen-induced increase in mucus-containing cells in the airway epithelium is reduced.

20. A method of treating asthma in a mammalian subject, said method comprising administering to said subject an antibody to IL-13 or an IL-13 binding fragment thereof in an amount sufficient to decrease one or more of allergen-induced airway hyper responsiveness or allergen-induced increase in mucus-containing cells in an airway epithelium, thereby treating asthma in said subject.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the allergen-induced airway hyper responsiveness and the allergen-induced increase in mucus-containing cells are decreased.

22. The method of claim 20 , wherein the allergen-induced increase in airway hyper responsiveness is reduced.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the administration of said IL-13 antibody or IL-13 binding fragment thereof results in complete reversal of allergen-induced increase in airway hyper responsiveness.

24. The method of claim 20 , wherein the allergen-induced increase in mucus-containing cells in an airway epithelium is reduced.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the administration of said IL-13 antibody or IL-13 binding fragment thereof results in complete reversal of the allergen-induced increase in mucus-containing cells in the airway epithelium.