Erythropoietin for Gastrointestinal Dysfunction

Abstract

This invention relates to treating gastrointestinal dysfunction with erythropoietin (EPO) or its analog.

1 . A method for increasing intestinal motility in a subject that has gastrointestinal dysmotility and does not have anemia, the method comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of erythropoietin (EPO) comprising a sequence that is at least 70% identical to SEQ ID NO: 1, 2, 3, or 4. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subject is suffering from a condition selected from the group consisting of an intestinal injury, an abdominal trauma, an intestinal inflammatory condition, an intestinal infection, slow transit constipation, post-operative ileus, a neurodegenerative injury, a neurotraumatic injury, a congenital problem, and a malnutrition-malabsorption problem. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the malnutrition-malabsorption problem is caused by one or more selected from the group consisting of an intestinal injury, an abdominal trauma, an intestinal inflammatory condition, an intestinal infection, constipation, post-operative ileus, a neurodegenerative injury, a neurotraumatic injury, a congenital problem, Gaucher disease, refeeding syndrome, extremely low birth weight infants, cancer cachexia, infection, cancer, spinal cord dysfunction, spinal dysraphism, bifida, tumor, central nervous system dysfunction, peripheral neuropathy, removal part of the gastrointestinal tract, hemorrhage, liver dysfunction, celiac disease, cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophies, and cerebral palsy. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the congenital problem is selected from the group consisting of Gastroschisis, omphalocele, aganglionic megacolon, Hirschprung's disease, chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction, small left colon syndrome, anorectal anomalies, esophageal dysplasia and atresias, ectopic anus, congenital hernias, and internal anal sphincter achalasia. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the condition is an intestinal inflammatory condition. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the constipation is caused by opiate use. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subject does not have acute uremia due to kidney failure. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the EPO is administered as a conjugate. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the conjugate is a PEGylated erythropoietin. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the EPO is administered at 100 to 1,000 U/kg. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the EPO is administered at 200-500 U/Kg. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the EPO is administered at 250-350 U/kg. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subject is a human. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subject is a non-human mammal. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the EPO is administered orally. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the EPO is administered by insertion, implantation or injection into the subject. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the EPO is administered by subcutaneous injection or intravenous injection. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising administering erythropoietin to the subject over a treatment period of at least 24 hours. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , comprising administering erythropoietin to the subject over a treatment period of 24 hours to years. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sequence is at least 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, or 99% identical to one selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 1-4.