Methods to enhance wound healing and enhanced wound coverage material

Abstract

The present invention describes the incorporation of liposomal gene constructs directly into a wound to further improve wound repair, or into wound coverage and/or closure materials to enhance the functionality of the material. The present invention further describes the use of human fetal membranes (e.g., amnion) enhanced with the liposomal gene therapy as a wound coverage material in full-thickness wound repair. The enhanced fetal membranes or enhanced cadaver skin have advantages over currently used materials lacking the liposomal gene construct and are an efficient and safe approach to improve clinical outcome in patients with burn injuries.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of enhancing wound healing in an external wound in an individual in need of such treatment, comprising the step of: 
 injecting a cholesterol-containing cationic liposome into said wound, said liposome comprising at least one gene encoding a growth factor.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said wound is selected from the group consisting of thermal trauma, chemical trauma, excisional trauma, surgical trauma and abrasion.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said growth factor is selected from the group consisting of growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor-I, keratinocyte growth factor, fibroblast growth factor, epidermal growth factor, platelet derived growth factor and transforming growth factor-β.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said growth factor is insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and the concentration of said gene encoding IGF-I in the liposomes is about 2.2 μg/10 μl liposomes.  
     
     
         5 . A method of enhancing wound healing in an external wound, comprising the step of: 
 covering said wound with a wound coverage material, wherein said wound coverage material is impregnated with a cholesterol-containing cationic liposome, said liposome comprising at least one gene encoding a growth factor.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said impregnation of said wound coverage material is performed prior to covering said wound or subsequent to covering said wound.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said wound is selected from the group consisting of thermal trauma, chemical trauma, excisional trauma, surgical trauma and abrasion.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said wound coverage material is selected from the group consisting of human fetal amnion, human fetal chorion, human cadaver skin and synthetic skin.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said growth factor is selected from the group consisting of growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor-I, keratinocyte growth factor, fibroblast growth factor, epidermal growth factor, platelet derived growth factor and transforming growth factor-β.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said growth factor is insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and the concentration of said gene encoding IGF-I in the liposomes is about 2.2 μg/10 μl liposomes.  
     
     
         11 . A method of enhancing wound healing in an external wound, comprising the step of: 
 covering said wound with a wound closure material, wherein said wound closure material is impregnated with a cholesterol-containing cationic liposome, said liposome comprising at least one gene encoding a growth factor.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said impregnation of said wound coverage material is performed prior to covering said wound or subsequent to covering said wound.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said wound is selected from the group consisting of thermal trauma, chemical trauma, excisional trauma, surgical trauma and abrasion.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said wound closure material is selected from the group consisting of human fetal amnion, human fetal chorion, human syngeneic skin, and human allogeneic skin.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said growth factor is selected from the group consisting of growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor-I, keratinocyte growth factor, fibroblast growth factor, epidermal growth factor, platelet derived growth factor and transforming growth factor-β.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said growth factor is insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and the concentration of said gene encoding IGF-I in the liposomes is about 2.2 μg/10 μl liposomes.  
     
     
         17 . An enhanced wound dressing for external wounds, comprising: 
 a wound coverage material; and    a cholesterol-containing cationic liposome comprising at least one gene encoding a non-insulin-like growth factor.    
     
     
         18 . The enhanced wound dressing of  claim 17 , wherein said wound coverage material is selected from the group consisting of human fetal amnion, human fetal chorion, human cadaver skin, and synthetic skin.  
     
     
         19 . The enhanced wound dressing of  claim 17 , wherein said growth factor is selected from the group consisting of growth hormone, keratinocyte growth factor, fibroblast growth factor, epidermal growth factor, platelet derived growth factor and transforming growth factor-β.  
     
     
         20 . A composition for enhancing wound healing in an external wound, comprising: 
 a cholesterol-containing cationic liposome, said liposome comprising at least one gene encoding a non-insulin-like growth factor; and    a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.    
     
     
         21 . The composition of  claim 20 , wherein said wound is selected from the group consisting of thermal trauma, chemical trauma, excisional trauma, surgical trauma and abrasion.  
     
     
         22 . The composition of  claim 20 , wherein said growth factor is selected from the group consisting of growth hormone, keratinocyte growth factor, fibroblast growth factor, epidermal growth factor, platelet derived growth factor and transforming growth factor-β.  
     
     
         23 . The composition of  claim 20 , wherein said composition is packaged such that said composition can be loaded into a syringe.  
     
     
         24 . The composition of  claim 20 , wherein said composition is packaged in a syringe.