Methods for treating pain

Abstract

Methods of treating pain by delivery of anti-inflammatory cytokines, proinflammatory cytokine antagonists, and agents that act to reduce or prevent proinflammatory cytokine actions, to the nervous system are described. These agents can be delivered using gene therapy techniques. Alternatively, the agents can be delivered in protein compositions.

1 . A method of treating pain in a vertebrate subject comprising administering to the nervous system of said subject a recombinant vector comprising a polynucleotide encoding an interleukin-10 (IL-10) or an interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra). 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subject is administered an IL-10. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the IL-10 comprises a sequence of amino acids with at least 90% sequence identity to the contiguous sequence of amino acids of SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO:3. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the IL-10 comprises a sequence of amino acids with at least 95% sequence identity to the contiguous sequence of amino acids of SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO:3. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the IL-10 is fused to the Fc portion of an IgG. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said vertebrate subject is a human and said IL-10 is human IL-10. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said recombinant vector is a recombinant virus. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said recombinant virus is a recombinant adenovirus. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said recombinant virus is a recombinant adeno-associated virion. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said recombinant vector is plasmid DNA. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said administering is by intraparenchymal delivery. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said administering is by intrathecal delivery. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said administering is by epidural delivery. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pain is neuropathic pain. 
     
     
         15 . A method of treating pain in a mammalian subject comprising intrathecally administering to the central nervous system of said subject a recombinant virus or plasmid comprising a polynucleotide encoding an IL-10, operably linked to expression control elements, under conditions that result in expression of said polynucleotide in vivo to reduce pain. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the IL-10 comprises a sequence of amino acids with at least 90% sequence identity to the contiguous sequence of amino acids of SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO:3. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the IL-10 comprises a sequence of amino acids with at least 95% sequence identity to the contiguous sequence of amino acids of SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO:3. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the IL-10 is fused to the Fc portion of an IgG. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said vertebrate subject is a human and said IL-10 is human IL-10. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said subject is administered a recombinant virus. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said recombinant virus is a recombinant adenovirus. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said recombinant virus and is a recombinant adeno-associated virion.