Methods for treating myocardial infarction comprising administering sonic hedgehog
The present invention relates to methods and pharmaceutical compositions for cardioprotection of subjects who experienced a myocardial infarction. In particular, the present invention relates to a ligand of the sonic hedgehog signaling pathway for use in the cardioprotection of a subject who experienced a myocardial infarction.
1. A method for treating myocardial infarction in a patient who has had or is having a myocardial infarction comprising the steps of
i) restoring blood supply in cardiac ischemic tissue, and
ii) inducing cardioprotection by administering to the patient a therapeutically effective amount of a sonic hedgehog polypeptide comprising a sequence having at least 90% of identity with the sequence ranging from the amino acid residue at position 1 to the amino acid residue at position 197 in SEQ ID NO:1.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the sonic hedgehog polypeptide comprises the signaling domain of the hedgehog polypeptide.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the sonic hedgehog polypeptide is a soluble polypeptide.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the sequence having at least 90% of identity with the sequence ranging from the amino acid residue at position 1 to the amino acid residue at position 197 in SEQ ID NO:1 is a function conservative variant of said sonic hedgehog polypeptide.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the sonic hedgehog polypeptide is fused to a Fc portion of an antibody.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the sonic hedgehog polypeptide is carried by a microparticle.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the steps of restoring blood supply and inducing cardioprotection are performed sequentially or concomitantly.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of inducing cardioprotection is performed at the time of reperfusion injury.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the sonic hedgehog polypeptide is administered by infusion into the bloodstream.
10. A method for reducing arrhythmias and QT interval in a patient who has had or is having a myocardial infarction comprising the steps of
i) restoring blood supply in cardiac ischemic tissue, and
ii) inducing cardioprotection by administering to the patient a therapeutically effective amount of a sonic hedgehog polypeptide comprising a sequence having at least 90% of identity with the sequence ranging from the amino acid residue at position 1 to the amino acid residue at position 197 in SEQ ID NO:1.