Endomucin as an anti-inflammatory agent

Abstract

The invention provides compositions and methods for utilizing endomucin as an anti-inflammatory agent.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of reducing inflammation in a subject comprising:
 increasing the level of endomucin (EMCN) on endothelial cells in a tissue of said subject;   wherein an increase in EMCN reduces the adhesion of said leukocytes to said endothelial cells in said tissue.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a purified EMCN polypeptide is administered to said subject. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a purified nucleic acid encoding said EMCN is administered to said subject. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said purified EMCN polypeptide comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said purified nucleic acid encoding said EMCN comprises the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said EMCN is human EMCN-1. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said inflammatory disease is an ocular inflammatory disease selected from the group consisting of dry eye disease, uveitis, diabetic retinopathy, and endophthalmitis. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said inflammatory disease is a non-ocular inflammatory disease selected from the group consisting of psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, transplant rejection disease, vasculitis, and an autoimmune disease. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said endothelial cells comprise vascular endothelial cells. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said leukocyte comprises a neutrophil, an eosinophil, a basophil, a lymphocyte, a monocyte, a macrophage, or a dendritic cell. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said adhesion is reduced at least 5%. 
     
     
         12 . A method for reducing inflammation in a subject, the method comprising:
 injecting into a tissue a vector comprising a nucleic acid construct comprising a polynucleotide sequence for EMCN-1 operably linked to a promoter such that said EMCN-1 is over-expressed, thereby reducing inflammation is said subject.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said vector comprises an adenovirus vector. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein overexpression of said EMCN-1 reduces the adhesion of leukocytes to endothelial cells in said subject. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein overexpression of said EMCN-1 reduces inflammatory cell infiltration. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said inflammatory cell is a CD45+ cell. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said adenovirus vector is injected into the eye, the skin, or a vein. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said adenovirus vector is injected intravitreally, subcutaneously, or intravenously.