METHODS FOR THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF BURN INJURIES AND SECONDARY COMPLICATIONS
The disclosure relates to methods for treating a subject suffering from a burn injury or associated complications by administering to the subject an effective amount of an aromatic-cationic peptide. For example, a burn injury may be associated with distant pathophysiological effects, such as hypermetabolism, skeletal muscle dysfunction, and organ damage. The disclosure also relates to methods for protecting a subject from a burn injury by administering an effective amount of an aromatic-cationic peptide to a subject at risk of a burn injury.
1 . A method for treating a subject suffering from a burn injury or a systemic injury or condition secondary to a burn, the method comprising administering to the subject in need thereof an effective amount of a peptide having the formula D-Arg-2′6′-dimethyltyrosine-Lys-Phe-NH 2 .
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the systemic injury is organ dysfunction or failure.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the organ dysfunction or failure affects one or more of the lung, liver, kidneys, or bowel.
4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the peptide is administered following a burn injury but prior to the onset of symptoms of organ dysfunction or failure.
5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the peptide is administered following the onset of symptoms of organ dysfunction or failure.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the systemic injury is hypermetabolism.
7 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the peptide is administered following a burn injury but prior to the onset of symptoms of hypermetabolism.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the peptide is administered following the onset of symptoms hypermetabolism.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the systemic injury is skeletal muscle dysfunction.
10 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the skeletal muscle dysfunction is skeletal muscle wasting or cachexia.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the peptide is administered following a burn injury but prior to the onset of symptoms of skeletal muscle dysfunction.
12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the peptide is administered following the onset of symptoms skeletal muscle dysfunction.
13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject is a human.
14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the peptide is administered intravenously, orally, subcutaneously, transdermally, intraperitoneally, or topically.
15 . A method for protecting the subject against a burn injury, the method comprising administering to the subject in need thereof an effective amount of a peptide having the formula D-Arg-2′6′-dimethyltyrosine-Lys-Phe-NH 2 prior to a burn injury.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the peptide is administered topically.
17 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the burn injury is a sunburn or radiation burn.
18 . A method for treating a disease or condition characterized by a reduced ATP synthesis rate, the method comprising administering to a mammal in need thereof an effective amount of a peptide having the formula D-Arg-2′6′-dimethyltyrosine-Lys-Phe-NH 2 in order to increase the ATP synthesis rate in the subject.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the disease or condition is a burn injury.
20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein increasing the ATP synthesis rate is by increasing the expression or activity of the peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-gamma coactivator-1β (PGC-1β) protein.