Method of treating brain injury
A novel use of a neuropeptide for treating brain injury in a subject in need thereof is provided. The present invention also provides various amenable routes of administering urocortin, that is, via injection intracerebroventricularly and intraperitoneally, and via intravenous bolus administration.
1. A method for treating brain injury in a subject, comprising administering an effective amount of urocortin to the subject in need thereof, wherein the brain injury is stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, or a combination thereof.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the urocortin is administered to the subject by one of intracerebroventricular injection, intraperitoneal injection, intravenous bolus administration, or any combination thereof.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the urocortin is delivered intracerebroventricularly to the subject at an amount of about 0.05 to about 5 μg/kg per subject.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the urocortin is delivered intraperitoneally to the subject at an amount of about 0.5 to about 25 μg/kg per subject.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the urocortin is delivered intraperitoneally to the subject at an amount of about 1 to about 4 μg/kg per subject.
6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the urocortin is delivered intravenously to the subject in the form of a bolus.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the urocortin is delivered intravenously to the subject at an amount of about 2.5 to about 25 μg/kg per subject.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the urocortin is one of naturally occurring human urocortin, naturally occurring non-human urocortin, or non-naturally occurring urocortin.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the treatment of brain injury comprises suppression of microglial activation.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the treatment of brain injury comprises suppression of inflammatory cytokine production.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the treatment of brain injury comprises suppression of brain edema.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the treatment of brain injury comprises suppression of blood-brain barrier damage.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject is a mammal.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject is human.