Claims
- 1. A method for increasing neural stem cell and/or neural stem cell progeny number comprising adding pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) to multipotent neural stem cells in an amount effective to increase neural stem cell and/or neural stem cell progeny number.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the number of neural stem cells and/or neural stem cell progeny is increased by enhancing proliferation.
- 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the number of neural stem cells and/or neural stem cell progeny is increased by enhancing survival.
- 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the number of neural stem cells and/or neural stem cell progeny is increased by increasing secondary neural stem cells obtained from a primary neural stem cell.
- 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the neural stem cells are located in a subject.
- 6. The method of claim 5, wherein PACAP is added parenterally.
- 7. The method of claim 5, wherein the subject is a mammal.
- 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the subject is an adult.
- 9. The method of claim 7, wherein the subject is a human.
- 10. The method of claim 5, wherein the subject is suffering from a neurodegenerative disease or brain injury.
- 11. The method of claim 9, wherein the neurodegenerative disease is Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, or Huntington's Disease.
- 12. The method of claim 5, wherein the subject is suffering from a stroke.
- 13. The method of claim 5, wherein the increase in neural stem cell number occurs in the subventricular zone of the subject.
- 14. The method of claim 5, wherein the neural stem cells and/or progenitor cells which are derived from said neural stem cells are transplanted into said subject.
- 15. The method of claim 1, wherein the PACAP is PACAP38.
- 16. The method of claim 1, wherein the PACAP is PACAP27.
- 17. The method claim 1, further comprising adding at least one growth factor.
- 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one growth factor is fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2).
- 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising adding heparan sulfate.
- 20. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one growth factor is epidermal growth factor (EGF).
- 21. The method of claim 20, wherein the EGF is EGF51N or EGF51Q.
- 22. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one growth factor is prolactin.
- 23. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one growth factor is added concurrently with PACAP.
- 24. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one growth factor is added sequentially with PACAP.
- 25. The method of claim 24, wherein the at least one growth factor is added prior to the addition of PACAP.
- 26. The method of claim 24, wherein the at least one growth factor is added after the addition of PACAP.
- 27. A method of increasing the number of neural stem cells and/or neurospheres in a culture comprising adding pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) to a neural stem cell culture to increase the number of neural stem cells and/or neurospheres generated from the neural stem cell culture.
- 28. The method of claim 27, wherein the neural stem cell culture is a primary culture.
- 29. The method of claim 27, wherein the neural stem cell culture is a clonal density culture.
- 30. The method of claim 27, further comprising adding a growth factor to the culture.
- 31. The method of claim 27, wherein the PACAP is PACAP38.
- 32. The method of claim 27, wherein the PACAP is PACAP27.
- 33. The method of claim 30, wherein the growth factor is fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2).
- 34. The method of claim 33, further comprising adding heparan sulfate.
- 35. The method of claim 30, wherein the growth factor is epidermal growth factor.
- 36. The method of claim 35, wherein the EGF is EGF51N or EGF51Q.
- 37. The method of claim 30, wherein the growth factor is prolactin.
- 38. A method of enhancing differentiation of neural stem cells in a subject comprising administering pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) to the subject in an amount sufficient to enhance differentiation of neural stem cells.
- 39. The method of claim 38, wherein differentiation of neural stem cells into neurons is enhanced.
- 40. The method of claim 38, wherein the PACAP is PACAP38.
- 41. The method of claim 38, wherein the PACAP is PACAP27.
- 42. The method of claim 38, wherein the subject is a mammal.
- 43. The method of claim 42, wherein the subject is an adult.
- 44. The method of claim 42, wherein the subject is a human.
- 45. The method of claim 38, further comprising administering at least one growth factor.
- 46. The method of claim 45, wherein the at least one growth factor is fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2).
- 47 The method of claim 46, further comprising adding heparan sulfate.
- 48. The method of claim 45, wherein the at least one growth factor is epidermal growth factor (EGF).
- 49. The method of claim 48, wherein the EGF is EGF51N or EGF51Q.
- 50. The method of claim 45, wherein the at least one growth factor is prolactin.
- 51. The method claim 45, wherein the at least one growth factor is administered to the subject prior to the administration of PACAP.
- 52. The method of claim 45, wherein the at least one growth factor is administered to the subject after the administration of PACAP.
- 53. The method of claim 38, wherein the subject is suffering from a neurodegenerative disease or brain injury.
- 54. The method of claim 53, wherein the neurodegenerative disease is Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, or Huntington's Disease.
- 55. The method of claim 38, wherein the subject is suffering from a stroke.
- 56. The method of claim 38, wherein the differentiation of neural stem cells occurs in the subventricular zone.
- 57. The method of claim 38, wherein the neural stem cells and/or progenitor cells which are derived from said neural stem cells are transplanted into said subject.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/399,390, filed Jul. 31, 2002. The entire disclosure of this priority application is hereby incorporated by reference.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60399390 |
Jul 2002 |
US |