Using fatty acid synthase inhibitors to treat fibrosis

Abstract

This document relates to materials and methods for treating fibrosis (e.g., pulmonary fibrosis). For example, this document provides methods for using one or more fatty acid synthase (FASN) inhibitors to treat a mammal having fibrosis (e.g., pulmonary fibrosis), and/or a complication associated with fibrosis (e.g., hypoxia caused by pulmonary fibrosis).

1 . A method for treating fibrosis in a mammal, said method comprising:
 administering an inhibitor of fatty acid synthase activity to a mammal identified as having fibrosis;   wherein a symptom of said fibrosis is reduced.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said mammal is a human. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said inhibitor is C75. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said inhibitor is a fatty acid synthase targeting small interfering RNA. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said fibrosis is pulmonary fibrosis. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said pulmonary fibrosis is idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. 
     
     
         7 . A method for treating a complication associated with fibrosis in a mammal, said method comprising:
 administering an inhibitor of fatty acid synthase activity to a mammal identified as having a complication associated fibrosis;   wherein a symptom of said complication is reduced.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said mammal is a human. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said inhibitor is C75. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said inhibitor is a fatty acid synthase targeting small interfering RNA. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said fibrosis is pulmonary fibrosis. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said pulmonary fibrosis is idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said complication associated with fibrosis is hypoxia. 
     
     
         14 . A method for increasing polypeptide expression in cells, the method comprising:
 contacting said cells with an inhibitor of fatty acid synthase activity;   wherein expression of one or more profibrotic genes is decreased.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said wherein said cells are human cells. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said cells are lung cells. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said inhibitor is C75. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said inhibitor is a fatty acid synthase targeting small interfering RNA. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said one or more profibrotic genes are selected from the group consisting of profibrotic genes collagen I, collagen IV, fibronectin, connective tissue growth factor, and alpha smooth muscle actin. 
     
     
         20 - 23 . (canceled)