US 7,557,078 B1
Morphogen-induced nerve regeneration and repair
David C. Rueger, Hopkinton, Mass. (US); Thangavel Kuberasampath, Medway, Mass. (US); Hermann Oppermann, Medway, Mass. (US); Engin Ozkaynak, Milford, Mass. (US); Roy H. L. Pang, Etna, N.H. (US); and Charles M. Cohen, Medway, Mass. (US)
Assigned to Stryker Corporation, Kalamazoo, Mich. (US)
Filed on Sep. 25, 1997, as Appl. No. 8/937,756.
Application 08/937756 is a continuation of application No. 08/260675, filed on Jun. 16, 1994, granted, now 6,800,603.
Application 08/260675 is a continuation of application No. 08/126100, filed on Sep. 23, 1993, abandoned.
Application 08/126100 is a continuation of application No. 07/922813, filed on Jul. 31, 1992, abandoned.
Application 07/922813 is a continuation in part of application No. 07/752764, filed on Aug. 30, 1991, abandoned.
Application 07/752764 is a continuation in part of application No. 07/753059, filed on Aug. 30, 1991, abandoned.
Application 07/753059 is a continuation in part of application No. 07/667274, filed on Mar. 11, 1991, abandoned.
Application 07/752764 is a continuation in part of application No. 07/667274, filed on Mar. 11, 1991, abandoned.
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61K 38/00 (2006.01); C12N 5/08 (2006.01); G01N 33/53 (2006.01); C07K 2/00 (2006.01); C07K 5/00 (2006.01); C12N 5/00 (2006.01); C12N 5/06 (2006.01); G01N 33/567 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 514—2  [435/350; 435/7.21; 435/7.8; 435/326; 435/368] 18 Claims
 
1. A method for decreasing neuronal cell death associated with a neuropathy, wherein neuronal cell survival is mediated by expression of N-CAM or L1, comprising:
administering to a subject afflicted with said neuropathy a morphogen comprising a dimeric protein, the dimeric protein having one or more of the following:
(1) a conserved C-terminal six-cysteine skeleton at least 60% identical to residues 43-139 of SEQ ID NO: 5;
(2) a conserved C-terminal seven-cysteine skeleton at least 70% homologous to residues 38-139 of SEQ ID NO: 5;
(3) a conserved C-terminal six-cysteine skeleton at least 70% homologous to residues 43-139 of SEQ ID NO: 5; or
(4) an amino acid sequence of human OP-1, mouse OP-1, human OP-2, mouse OP-2, 60A, GDF-1, BMP2A, BMP2B, DPP, Vgl, Vgr-1, BMP3, BMP5, or BMP6;
wherein the morphogen (i) stimulates the production of said N-CAM or L1 in said neuronal cell, and (ii) decreases neuronal cell death associated with said neuropathy.