Enhancing Pulmonary Host Defense via Administration of Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony Stimulating Factor
The present invention provides methods for enhancing pulmonary host defense in a subject by administering via inhalation an effective amount of granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor or a functional homologue thereof. Methods of the present invention are useful in alleviating symptoms and/or treating pulmonary diseases or conditions including, but not limited to lung cancer, pneumocystis carinii , pneumonia with or without bacterial, fungal and/or viral infection including but not limited to community acquired pneumonia, nosocomial pneumonia or ventilator associated pneumonia, and or cystic fibrosis with or without bacterial, fungal and/or viral infection or colonization, bronchitis, Bronchiectasis, Diffuse panbronchiolitis, Bronchiolitis, Bronchiolitis obliterans, Bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP) and/or bacterial, fungal and/or viral colonization or infection.
1 . A method of enhancing pulmonary host defense in a subject comprising administering to the subject via pulmonary administration an effective amount of granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) or a functional homologue thereof.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the effective amount of GM-CSF or a functional homologue thereof is administered by intratracheal, intrabronchial or intraalveolar administration.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject is suffering from lung cancer, pneumocystis carinii , pneumonia with or without bacterial, fungal and/or viral infection including but not limited to community acquired pneumonia, nosocomial pneumonia or ventilator associated pneumonia, and or cystic fibrosis with or without bacterial, fungal and/or viral infection or colonization, bronchitis, Bronchiectasis, Diffuse panbronchiolitis, Bronchiolitis, Bronchiolitis obliterans, Bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP) with or without bacterial, fungal and/or viral colonization and/or bacterial, fungal and/or viral infection or colonization.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject is administered a solution of GM-CSF or a functional homologue thereof via bronchoalveolar lavage.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject is administered a solution of GM-CSF or a functional homologue thereof via blind tracheal washing.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject is administered a nebulized solution or a suspension of GM-CSF or a functional homologue thereof.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject is administered a nebulized aerosol or inhaled powder form of GM-CSF or a functional homologue thereof.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject is administered a pegylated, liposomal or nanoparticle prepared form of GM-CSF or a functional homologue thereof.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject is administered GM-CSF or a functional homologue thereof by direct application of GM-CSF or a functional homologue thereof during bronchoscopy.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject is a mammal.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the mammal is a human.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the human is a child younger than 12 years of age.
13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the human is an adult older than 12 years of age.
14 . A method for alleviating symptoms or treating a subject suffering from pulmonary disease, such as lung cancer, pneumocystis carinii , pneumonia with or without bacterial, fungal and/or viral infection including but not limited to community acquired pneumonia, nosocomial pneumonia or ventilator associated pneumonia, and or cystic fibrosis with or without bacterial, fungal and/or viral infection or colonization, bronchitis, Bronchiectasis, Diffuse panbronchiolitis, Bronchiolitis, Bronchiolitis obliterans, Bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP) with or without bacterial, fungal and/or viral colonization and/or bacterial, fungal and/or viral infection or colonization.
15 . The method of claim 14 wherein the effective amount of GM-CSF or a functional homologue thereof is administered by intratracheal, intrabronchial or intraalveolar administration.
16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the subject is administered a solution of GM-CSF or a functional homologue thereof via bronchoalveolar lavage.
17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the subject is administered a solution of GM-CSF or a functional homologue thereof via blind tracheal washing.
18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the subject is administered a nebulized solution or a suspension of GM-CSF or a functional homologue thereof.
19 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the subject is administered a nebulized aerosol or inhaled powder form of GM-CSF or a functional homologue thereof.
20 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the subject is administered a pegylated, liposomal or nanoparticle prepared form of GM-CSF or a functional homologue thereof.
21 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the subject is administered GM-CSF or a functional homologue thereof by direct application of GM-CSF or a functional homologue thereof during bronchoscopy.
22 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject is a mammal.
23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the mammal is a.
24 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the human is a child younger than 12 years of age.
25 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the human is an adult older than 12 years of age.