Methods of treating anemia and red blood cell dysfunction with lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase

Abstract

Disclosed are methods for treating conditions characterized by anemia or red blood cells dysfunction by administering an agent that increases the level of endogenous LCAT or LCAT activity. Additionally disclosed are methods of treating conditions wherein red blood cells have reduced function in relation to deformability, oxygenation, increased adhesion and aggregability, reduced nitric oxide function, or decreased life-span, increased free cholesterol, or abnormal concentration of free cholesterol in red blood cells and methods of normalizing the free cholesterol content of red blood cells.

1 - 54 . (canceled) 
     
     
         55 . A method of improving a condition characterized by one or more of the following: anemia, red blood cells with reduced ability to deform, reduced RBC oxygenation, increased RBC aggregation and adhesion, reduced nitric oxide function, decreased RBC life-span comprising:
 a) obtaining a base-line measurement of one or more than one of the following: hemoglobin level, hematocrit level, RBC deformability, RBC oxygenation, RBC aggregation and adhesion, or RBC life-span;   b) administering to a patient in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of an agent which increases the activity of LCAT or increases the plasma level of LCAT or both;   c) obtaining a post-treatment measurement of one or more of the following: hemoglobin level, hematocrit level, RBC deformability, RBC oxygenation, RBC aggregation and adhesion, or RBC life-span; and   d) comparing the baseline measurement with the post-treatment measurement wherein the occurrence of one or more of the following: an increase in hemoglobin level, an increase in hematocrit level, an increase in RBC deformability, an increase in RBC oxygenation, a decrease in RBC aggregation and adhesion, or an increase in RBC life-span, indicates an improvement in the condition.   
     
     
         56 . The method according to  claim 55 , wherein the condition is sickle cell disease, diabetes, thalassemia, rheumatoid disease, autoimmune disease, arthritis, liver disease, cirrhosis, hepatitis, acanthosytosis, sepsis, dementia, anemia, microvascular disorders, inflammatory disorders, parasitic disease, erectile dysfunction, cancer, pre-eclampsia, critical illness, or trauma. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein the therapeutically effective amount of an agent is a therapeutically effective amount of LCAT. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein the amount of LCAT is an amount that increases the LCAT concentration to above the normal LCAT levels or LCAT activity to above normal LCAT activity. 
     
     
         59 . A method of treating a patient having a condition characterized by a high FC content in a blood cell membrane, comprising administering to the patient in need thereof, a therapeutically effective amount of LCAT. 
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein the blood cell is a red blood cell, monocyte, platelet, neutrophil, or leukocyte. 
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 60 , wherein the blood cell is a red blood cell.