Claims
- 1. A method for inhibiting or preventing an ocular process associated with connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in a subject, the method comprising administering an agent that decreases expression or activity of CTGF or fragments thereof.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the administering is in vivo.
- 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the administering is in vitro.
- 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the subject is a cell.
- 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the subject is an animal.
- 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the subject is a human.
- 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the agent is selected from the group consisting of an antibody, an antisense oligonucleotide, and a small molecule.
- 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the agent is delivered to the eye.
- 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the agent is delivered to the ocular surface.
- 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the agent is delivered in an eye drop formulation.
- 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the ocular process is further associated with an ocular cell.
- 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the ocular cell is selected from the group consisting of a an endothelial cell, an epithelial cell, a fibroblast, a glial cell, a retinal pigment epithelial cell, a retinal endothelial cell, a choroidal endothelial cell, a lens epithelial cell, a corneal epithelial cell, a trabecular meshwork cell, a pericyte, an astrocyte, a microglial cell, a perivascular glial cell, a Muller cell, a perivascular astrocyte, a rod, a cone, a ganglion cell, and a bipolar cell.
- 13. The method of claim 1, wherein the ocular process is further associated with an ocular structure.
- 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the ocular structure is selected from the group consisting of the retina, retinal pigment epithelium layer, choroid, macula, cornea, lens, iris, sclera, trabecular meshwork, aqueous, aqueous chamber, vitreous, ciliary body, optic disc, papilla, and fovea.
- 15. The method of claim 1, wherein the ocular process is further associated with an ocular disorder.
- 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the ocular disorder is selected from the group consisting of glaucoma, cataract, choroidal neovascularization, retinal detachment, proliferative vitreoretinopathy, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, corneal-scarring, and corneal haze.
- 17. The method of claim 1, wherein the ocular process is further associated with ocular fibrosis.
- 18. A method for inhibiting or preventing ocular extracellular matrix production or deposition, the method comprising administering to a subject an agent that decreases expression or activity of CTGF or fragments thereof.
- 19. A method for inhibiting or preventing ocular neovascularization, the method comprising administering to a subject an agent that decreases expression or activity of CTGF or fragments thereof.
- 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the neovascularization is retinal neovascularization, choroidal neovascularization, neovascularization of the iris, or trabecular neovascularization.
- 21. A method for inhibiting or preventing ocular inflammation, the method comprising administering to a subject an agent that decreases expression or activity of CTGF or fragments thereof.
- 22. A method for inhibiting or preventing ocular cell proliferation, the method comprising administering to a subject an agent that decreases expression or activity of CTGF or fragments thereof.
- 23. The method of claim 22, wherein the ocular cell proliferation is selected from the group consisting of epithelial cell proliferation, endothelial cell proliferation, retinal pigment epithelial cell proliferation, and choroidal endothelial cell proliferation.
- 24. A method for inhibiting or preventing ocular cell migration, the method comprising administering to a subject an agent that decreases expression or activity of CTGF or fragments thereof.
- 25. The method of claim 24, wherein the ocular cell migration is selected from the group consisting of epithelial cell migration, retinal pigment epithelial cell migration, endothelial cell migration, and choroidal endothelial cell migration.
- 26. A method for inhibiting or preventing ocular scarring, the method comprising administering to a subject an agent that decreases expression or activity of CTGF or fragments thereof.
- 27. The method of claim 1, wherein the ocular process is further associated with surgery.
- 28. The method of claim 27, wherein the surgery is selected from the group consisting of refraction correction surgery, radial keratotomy, LASIK, retinal detachment surgery, corneal transplantation, glaucoma filtration surgery, cataract extraction surgery, lens replacement surgery, vitrectomy, subretinal surgery, and retinal translocation surgery.
- 29. A method for treating or preventing an ocular disorder, the method comprising administering to a subject an agent that decreases expression or activity of CTGF or fragments thereof.
- 30. A method for treating or preventing ocular fibrosis, the method comprising administering to a subject an agent that decreases expression or activity of CTGF or fragments thereof.
- 31. A method for treating or preventing an ocular disorder associated with neovascularization, the method comprising administering to a subject an agent that decreases expression or activity of CTGF or fragments thereof.
- 32. A method for treating or preventing an ocular disorder associated with extracellular matrix production or deposition, the method comprising administering to a subject an agent that decreases expression or activity of CTGF or fragments thereof.
- 33. A method for treating or preventing an ocular disorder associated with inflammation, the method comprising administering to a subject an agent that decreases expression or activity of CTGF or fragments thereof.
- 34. A method for treating or preventing an ocular disorder associated with cell proliferation, the method comprising administering to a subject an agent that decreases expression or activity of CTGF or fragments thereof.
- 35. A method for treating or preventing an ocular disorder associated with cell migration, the method comprising administering to a subject an agent that decreases expression or activity of CTGF or fragments thereof.
- 36. A method for treating or preventing a disorder associated with formation or alteration of an ocular membrane, the method comprising administering to a subject an agent that decreases expression or activity of CTGF or fragments thereof.
- 37. The method of claim 36, wherein the ocular membrane is selected from the group consisting of an epiretinal membrane, a subretinal membrane, a vitreous membrane, a cellular membrane, a choroidal neovascularization membrane, and a fibrotic membrane.
- 38. A method for maintaining or improving vision in a subject, the method comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of an agent that decreases expression or activity of CTGF or fragments thereof.
- 39. A method for diagnosing an ocular disorder associated with CTGF, or identifying a predisposition to develop an ocular disorder, the method comprising:
(a) obtaining a sample from a subject; (b) quantitating the level of CTGF or fragments thereof in the sample; and (c) comparing the level of CTGF or fragments thereof in the sample to a standard level, wherein an increased amount of CTGF or fragments thereof in the sample is indicative of the presence of an ocular disorder or a predisposition to develop an ocular disorder.
- 40. A diagnostic kit for use in diagnosing an ocular disorder associated with CTGF, or identifying a predisposition to develop an ocular disorder associated with CTGF, the kit comprising:
(a) a means for detecting the level of CTGF in a sample; and (b) a means for measuring the level of CTGF in the sample.
- 41. A diagnostic kit for use in diagnosing ocular fibrosis, or identifying a predisposition to develop ocular fibrosis, the kit comprising:
(a) a means for detecting the level of CTGF in a sample; and (b) a means for measuring the level of CTGF in the sample.
- 42. A method for identifying an agent for use in inhibiting or preventing an ocular process associated with CTGF, the method comprising:
(a) contacting a candidate agent with CTGF or a fragment thereof; (b) detecting the level of CTGF or CTGF fragment expression or activity in the sample; and (c) comparing the level of CTGF or CTGF fragment expression or activity in the sample to a standard level of CTGF or CTGF fragment expression or activity, wherein decreased expression and activity of CTGF or CTGF fragments in the sample is indicative of an agent that inhibits or prevents an ocular process associated with CTGF.
- 43. A method for identifying an agent for use in treating or preventing an ocular disorder associated with CTGF, the method comprising:
(a) contacting a candidate agent with CTGF or CTGF fragments; (b) detecting the level of CTGF or CTGF fragment expression or activity in the sample; and (c) comparing the level of CTGF or CTGF fragment expression or activity in the sample to a standard level of CTGF or CTGF fragment expression or activity, wherein decreased expression and activity of CTGF or CTGF fragments in the sample is indicative of an agent that treats or prevents an ocular disorder associated with CTGF.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/339,547, filed Dec. 11, 2001, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60339547 |
Dec 2001 |
US |