Methods and compositions for wound healing

1. A method of promoting or improving healing of optic nerve or eye tissue in a subject, comprising administering to the subject a connexin agent simultaneously with, separately from or sequentially with a therapeutically effective amount of an antagonist of VEGF effective in promoting or improving healing wherein the connexin agent is an anti-connexin 43 polynucleotide or a connexin peptide or peptidomimetic.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said anti-connexin 43 polynucleotide is an antisense polynucleotide.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein said antisense polynucleotide comprises a sequence selected from SEQ ID NOS:1 to 3.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein said antisense polynucleotide comprises SEQ ID NO:1.

5. The method according to claim 3 wherein said antisense polynucleotide is selected from:

(SEQ ID NO: 1)

GTA ATT GCG GCA AGA AGA ATT GTT TCT GTC;

(SEQ ID NO: 2)

GTA ATT GCG GCA GGA GGA ATT GTT TCT GTC;

and,

(SEQ ID NO: 3)

GGC AAG AGA CAC CAA AGA CAC TAC CAG CAT.

6. The method according to claim 3 , wherein said antisense polynucleotide has from about 15 to about 35 nucleotides and is sufficiently complementary to connexin 43 mRNA to form a duplex having a melting point greater than 20° C. under physiological conditions.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the connexin 43 polynucleotide has from about 15 to about 35 nucleotides and has at least about 70 percent homology to an antisense sequence of connexin 43 mRNA.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the connexin agent comprises about 0.1 to about 1000 micrograms of an antisense polynucleotide.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the connexin agent and antagonist of VEGF are administered simultaneously.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the connexin agent and antagonist of VEGF are administered sequentially.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the connexin agent and antagonist of VEGF are administered within at least about one-half hour of each other.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the connexin agent and antagonist of VEGF are administered within about one hour of each other, within about one day or each other, or within about one week of each other.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the connexin agent is administered first.

14. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising administration of a third wound healing composition, wherein the third wound healing composition comprises an anti-connexin 43 peptide or peptidomimetic.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the third wound healing composition is administered first.

16. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first wound healing composition is formulated for sustained release.

17. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the subject is a mammal.

18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the mammal is a human.

19. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the mammal is selected from the group consisting of domestic animals, farm animals, zoo animals, sports animals, and pets.

20. The method according to claim 19 , wherein the animal is a horse, a dog or a cat.

21. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the anti-connexin agent is a peptide or peptidomimetic.

22. The method according to claim 21 , wherein the peptide or peptidomimetic comprises a peptide comprising SEQ.ID.NO:35.

23. The method according to claim 22 , wherein the peptide or peptidomimetic comprises a peptide having a sequence comprising SEQ.ID.NO:19.

24. The method according to any one of claim 22 or 23 , wherein the anti-connexin 43 agent comprises about 0.1 to about 1000 micrograms of said agent.

25. The method according to claim 22 , wherein the peptide or peptidomimetic comprises a peptide having a sequence comprising SEQ.ID.NO:18.

26. The method according to claim 25 , wherein the anti-connexin 43 agent comprises about 0.1 to about 1000 micrograms of said agent.