Inhibition of microcompetition with a foreign polynucleotide as treatment of chronic disease

Abstract

Microcompetition between a foreign polynucleotide and a cellular polynucleotide is a risk factor associated with chronic disease. The invention uses this novel discovery to present methods for the treatment of chronic disease. The methods are based on modifying the microcompetition between a polynucleotide natural to a subject suffering from a chronic disease and a polynucleotide foreign to the subject. Specifically, the treatment may modify the cellular copy number of the foreign polynucleotide, change the rate of complex formation between the microcompeted cellular transcription factor and either the foreign polynucleotide or the cellular polynucleotide, vary the expression of a gene susceptible to such microcompetition, or manipulate the activity of a gene product of a gene susceptible to microcompetition with a foreign polynucleotide. The invention also presents methods for the treatment of chronic disease resulting from other foreign polynucleotide-type disruptions.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A method for the treatment of a chronic disease, comprising administrating to an animal or human subject an effective amount of an agent which modifies microcompetition between a polynucleotide natural to said subject and a polynucleotide foreign to said subject.  
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said polynucleotide foreign to said subject is a viral promoter.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said polynucleotide foreign to said subject is a viral enhancer.  
     
     
         5 . A method for the treatment of a chronic disease, comprising administrating to an animal or human subject an effective amount of an agent which modifies the complex between a transcription factor natural to said subject and a polynucleotide foreign to said subject.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said polynucleotide foreign to said subject is a viral promoter.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said polynucleotide foreign to said subject is a viral enhancer.  
     
     
         9 . A method for the treatment of a chronic disease, comprising administrating to an animal or human subject an effective amount of an agent which modifies the complex between a transcription factor and a polynucleotide, where said transcription factor and polynucleotide are natural to the same said subject, and where said polynucleotide is susceptible to microcompetition with a polynucleotide foreign to said subject.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said polynucleotide foreign to said subject is a viral promoter.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said polynucleotide foreign to said subject is a viral enhancer.  
     
     
         13 . A method for the treatment of a chronic disease, comprising administrating to an animal or human subject an effective amount of an agent which modifies the expression of a gene, or gene fragment, where said gene is natural to said subject, and said gene is susceptible to microcompetition with a polynucleotide foreign to said subject.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said polynucleotide foreign to said subject is a viral promoter.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said polynucleotide foreign to said subject is a viral enhancer.  
     
     
         17 . A method for the treatment of a chronic disease, comprising administrating to an animal or human subject an effective amount of an agent which modifies the activity of a gene product of a gene, or gene fragment, where said gene is natural to said subject, and said gene is susceptible to microcompetition with a polynucleotide foreign to said subject.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said polynucleotide foreign to said subject is a viral promoter.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said polynucleotide foreign to said subject is a viral enhancer.  
     
     
         21 . A method for the treatment of a chronic disease, comprising administrating to an animal or human subject an effective amount of an agent which modifies the copy number of a polynucleotide foreign to said subject, in a said subject cell.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said polynucleotide foreign to said subject is a viral promoter.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said polynucleotide foreign to said subject is a viral enhancer.  
     
     
         25 . A method for the treatment of a chronic disease, comprising administrating to an animal or human subject an effective amount of an agent which modifies the copy number of a latent polynucleotide foreign to said subject, in a said subject cell.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said polynucleotide foreign to said subject is a viral promoter.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said polynucleotide foreign to said subject is a viral enhancer.