Neostatins
The invention provides fragments of type XVIII collagen termed neostatins, and methods for their use in the treatment of opthalmological disorders associated with angiogenesis.
1. A method of inhibiting or delaying progression of corneal neovascularization associated with increased levels of bFGF in a patient, the method comprising administering to the eye of the patient a therapeutically effective amount of a composition comprising an expression vector comprising an isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2 or 4, operatively linked to a promoter, wherein expression of said polypeptide results in inhibition or delaying of the progression of bFGF-associated corneal neovascularization.
2. A method of inhibiting or delaying progression of corneal neovascularization associated with increased levels of bFGF in a patient, the method comprising administering to the eye of the patient a therapeutically effective amount of a composition comprising an expression vector comprising a nucleic acid molecule encoding a fusion protein, wherein the fusion protein comprises amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 or 4 linked to a non-collagen XVIII amino acid sequence, the nucleic acid molecule is operatively linked to a promoter, and expression of said fusion protein results in inhibition or delaying of the progression of bFGF-associated corneal neovascularization.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the composition further comprises a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nucleic acid molecule encodes the polypeptide of ID NO:2.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nucleic acid molecule encodes the polypeptide of ID NO:4.
7. The method of claim 2 , wherein the fusion protein comprises the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2.
8. The method of claim 2 , wherein the fusion protein comprises the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:4.
9. A method of inhibiting or delaying progression of corneal neovascularization associated with increased levels of bFGF during wound healing in a patient, the method comprising administering to the eye of the patient a therapeutically effective amount of a composition comprising an expression vector comprising an isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2 or 4, operatively linked to a promoter, wherein expression of said polypeptide results in inhibition or delaying of the progression of corneal neovascularization of bFGF-associated corneal neovascularization during wound healing.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the composition further comprises a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the nucleic acid molecule encodes the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2.
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the nucleic acid molecule encodes the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:4.
13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the wound is a surgical wound.