USE OF AGENTS THAT DOWN-REGULATE EXPRESSION OF TANIS AND/OR P21 Waf1/Cip1/Sd1 GENES, AND USE OF AGENTS THAT INHIBIT, DEGRADE, SEQUESTER OR PREVENT THE NEUROTOXICITY OF GENE PRODUCT PROTEINS OF TANIS AND P21 Waf1/Cip1/Sd1 GENES

Abstract

The present invention provides compositions and methods for treating glaucoma, ocular hypertension, and age-related macular degeneration. More specifically, the present invention describes the use of agents that down-regulate expression of tanis and/or p21 Waf1/Cip1/Sd1 genes to treat such disorders of the eye.

1 . A method for treating glaucoma, said method comprising administering to a patient in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a composition comprising an agent that interacts with a gene encoding a serum amyloid A (SAA) receptor (SEQ ID NO:12), wherein said interaction decreases the expression of SAA (SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO:3). 
     
     
         2 . A method for treating glaucoma, said method comprising administering to a patient in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a composition comprising a Tanis antagonist. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said agent is a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) agonists, tachykinin peptides and their non-peptide analogs or α-lipoic acid. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the agent is fenofibrate, Wy-14643, (4-chloro-6-(2,3-xylidino)-2-pryrimidinylthiol)-acetic acid), ciprofibrate, 2-bromohexadecanoic acid, bezafibrate and ciglitizone, bafilomycin or concanamycin. 
     
     
         5 . A method for treating glaucoma, said method comprising administering to a patient in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a composition comprising a p21 antagonist. 
     
     
         6 . A method for treating ocular hypertension, glaucoma or age-related macular degeneration, said method comprising administering to a patient in need thereof, a therapeutically effective amount of an agent that down-regulates expression a tanis gene (SEQ ID NO:14) or p21 Waf1/Cip1/Sd1  gene (SEQ ID NO:16). 
     
     
         7 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of a Tanis antagonist and a pharmaceutical carrier.