Wound healing and treatment of fibrosis

Abstract

Compositions for use in the treatment of wounds and fibrosis comprising a therapeutically effective amount of a compound that modulates actin assembly and organization intracellularly and/or extracellularly and a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle; such a compound promotes the rate of wound healing and also prevents or reduces fibrosis. A preferred compound is gelsolin.

1 . The use of a compound that modulates actin assembly and organisation intracellularly and/or extracellularly for the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment of wounds or fibrosis.  
     
     
         2 . The use according to  claim 1  wherein the compound that modulates actin assembly and organisation severs actin filaments.  
     
     
         3 . The use according to  claim 2  wherein the compound is a selected from gelsolin, villin, CapG, adseverin, flightless-1, advillin and derivatives thereof  
     
     
         4 . The use according to  claim 3  wherein the compound is gelsolin or a derivative thereof.  
     
     
         5 . The use according to any preceding claim for treating wounds to inhibit or prevent scar formation.  
     
     
         6 . The use according to  claim 5  for inhibiting or preventing scarring of the eye, nervous tissue or intestines.  
     
     
         7 . The use according to  claim 6  for inhibiting or preventing dermal scarring.  
     
     
         8 . The use according to  claim 6  for inhibiting or preventing scarring following a burn.  
     
     
         9 . The use according to any one of claims  1 - 4  for treating wounds such that the rate of healing of wounds is increased.  
     
     
         10 . The use according to  claim 9  for treating acute wounds.  
     
     
         11 . The use according to  claim 10  wherein the acute wound is any one of a penetrative injury, a burn, nerve damage or a wound resulting from elective surgery.  
     
     
         12 . The use according to  claim 9  for treating chronic wounds.  
     
     
         13 . The use according to  claim 12  wherein the chronic wound is any one of diabetic, venous or decubitus ulcer or a wound of a generally healing compromised individual.  
     
     
         14 . The use according to any one of claims  1 - 4  for preventing or reducing fibrosis.  
     
     
         15 . The use according to  claim 14  wherein the fibrosis is a fibrotic disorder  
     
     
         16 . The use according to  claim 15  wherein the fibrotic disorder is one of glomerulonephritis, cirrhosis of the liver, pulmonary fibrosis, adult respiratory distress syndrome or fibrocytic disease.  
     
     
         17 . A composition comprising a therapeutically elective amount of a compound that modulates actin assembly and organisation intracellularly and/or extracellularly and a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle for the treatment of wounds or fibrosis.  
     
     
         18 . The composition according to  claim 19  wherein the compound that modulates actin assembly and organisation severs actin filaments.  
     
     
         19 . The composition according to  claim 17  or  18  wherein the compound is selected from gelsolin, villin, CapG, adseverin, flightless-1, advillin and derivatives thereof.  
     
     
         20 . The composition according to  claim 19  wherein the compound is gelsolin or a derivative thereof.  
     
     
         21 . A method of treating wounds or fibrosis comprising applying to the affected tissue a therapeutically effective amount of a compound which modulates actin assembly and organisation intracellularly and/or extracellularly.  
     
     
         22 . A delivery system for use in a gene therapy technique, said delivery system comprising a DNA molecule encoding a protein which modulates actin assembly and organisation, said DNA molecule being capable of being transcribed to lead to the expression of said protein.  
     
     
         23 . The delivery system according to  claim 22  wherein the DNA molecule encodes one of gelsolin, villin, CapG, adseverin, flightless-1, advillin and derivatives thereof.  
     
     
         24 . The use of a delivery system according to claims  22  or  23  for use in the manufacture of a medicament for use in the treatment of wounds or fibrosis.  
     
     
         25 . A method of treating a wounds or fibrosis comprising administering to a patient in need of treatment a therapeutically effective amount of a delivery system according to  claim 24  or  25 .