Method of treating fibrosis

Abstract

Materials and methods for reducing cell proliferation or extracellular matrix production in a mammal are disclosed. The methods comprise administering to a mammal a composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of a zvegf3 antagonist in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable delivery vehicle, wherein the zvegf3 antagonist is an antibody that binds to an epitope of a protein as shown in SEQ ID NO:2.

1 . A method of reducing cell proliferation or extracellular matrix production in a mammal comprising administering to the mammal a composition comprising a zvegf3 antagonist in an amount sufficient to reduce cell proliferation or extracellular matrix production, wherein the zvegf3 antagonist is an antibody that binds to an epitope of a protein as shown in SEQ ID NO:2.  
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein proliferation of mesangial, endothelial, smooth muscle, fibroblast, osteoblast, osteoclast, stellate, or interstitial cells is reduced.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein extracellular matrix production is reduced.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the mammal is suffering from a fibroproliferative disorder of the liver.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the mammal is suffering from a fibroproliferative disorder of the kidney.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the mammal is suffering from a fibroproliferative disorder of bone.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the fibroproliferative disorder of bone is fibrosis that occurs with prostate tumor metastasis.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the antibody is a monoclonal antibody.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the monoclonal antibody is a humanized monoclonal antibody.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the antibody is a single-chain antibody.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the antibody is an antigen-binding fragment selected from the group consisting of F(ab′) 2 , Fab, and Fv fragments.