Method of stimulating proliferation of a cell

Abstract

Methods of treating and preventing diseases associated with fibrosis are disclosed, as well as agents for use in such methods. The methods comprise inhibiting at least one of ITFG1, MFAP4, GRHPR, ABCC4, PAK3, TRNP1, APLN, KIF20A, and/or LTB. In one embodiment, the disease is a liver disease or condition. Also disclosed are methods of promoting regeneration of cells, such as hepatocytes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of treating fibrosis in a disease characterised by fibrosis, comprising administering a therapeutically-effective amount of an inhibitory nucleic acid comprising or encoding antisense nucleic acid for inhibiting ITFG1 gene expression to a subject having the disease characterised by fibrosis. 
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the disease characterised by fibrosis is a disease characterised by fibrosis of the liver. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the disease characterised by fibrosis of the liver is selected from: acute liver disease, chronic liver disease, metabolic liver disease, steatosis, liver fibrosis, primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), cirrhosis, mild liver fibrosis, advanced liver fibrosis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), alcoholic fatty liver disease (ALFD), alcohol-related liver disease (ARLD), hepatic ischemia reperfusion injury, primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), hepatitis, liver damage, liver injury, liver failure, metabolic syndrome, obesity, diabetes mellitus, end-stage liver disease, inflammation of the liver, lobular inflammation, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the disease characterised by fibrosis of the liver is selected from: acute liver disease, chronic liver disease, metabolic liver disease, steatosis, liver fibrosis, primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), cirrhosis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), hepatic ischemia reperfusion injury, primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) hepatitis and liver damage. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the inhibitory nucleic acid is an siRNA, dsiRNA, shRNA or antisense oligonucleotide. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the inhibitory nucleic acid comprises one or more modified nucleotides selected from: 2′-O-methyluridine-3′-phosphate, 2′-O-methyladenosine-3′-phosphate, 2′-O-methylguanosine-3′-phosphate, 2′-O-methylcytidine-3′-phosphate, 2′-O-methyluridine-3′-phosphorothioate, 2′-O-methyladenosine-3′-phosphorothioate, 2′-O-methylguanosine-3′-phosphorothioate, 2′-O-methylcytidine-3′-phosphorothioate, 2′-fluorouridine-3′-phosphate, 2′-fluoroadenosine-3′-phosphate, 2′-fluoroguanosine-3′-phosphate, 2′-fluorocytidine-3′-phosphate, 2′-fluorocytidine-3′-phosphorothioate, 2′-fluoroguanosine-3′-phosphorothioate, 2′-fluoroadenosine-3′-phosphorothioate, and 2′-fluorouridine-3′-phosphorothioate. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the antisense nucleic acid for inhibiting the expression of ITFG1 comprises or consists of a nucleotide sequence having at least 75% sequence identity to any one of SEQ ID NOs:457 to 1482. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the inhibitory nucleic acid comprises a moiety facilitating delivery to and/or uptake by a hepatocyte and/or hepatic tissue. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the inhibitory nucleic acid comprises one or more GalNAc moieties. 
     
     
         10 . A method of inhibiting fibrosis of the liver in a subject, comprising administering to a subject in need thereof an inhibitory nucleic acid comprising or encoding antisense nucleic acid for inhibiting ITFG1 gene expression. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the subject has a disease characterised by fibrosis of the liver. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the disease characterised by fibrosis of the liver is selected from: acute liver disease, chronic liver disease, metabolic liver disease, steatosis, liver fibrosis, primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), cirrhosis, mild liver fibrosis, advanced liver fibrosis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), alcoholic fatty liver disease (ALFD), alcohol-related liver disease (ARLD), hepatic ischemia reperfusion injury, primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), hepatitis, liver damage, liver injury, liver failure, metabolic syndrome, obesity, diabetes mellitus, end-stage liver disease, inflammation of the liver, lobular inflammation, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the disease characterised by fibrosis of the liver is selected from: acute liver disease, chronic liver disease, metabolic liver disease, steatosis, liver fibrosis, primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), cirrhosis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), hepatic ischemia reperfusion injury, primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) hepatitis and liver damage. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the inhibitory nucleic acid is an siRNA, dsiRNA, shRNA or antisense oligonucleotide. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the inhibitory nucleic acid comprises one or more modified nucleotides selected from: 2′-O-methyluridine-3′-phosphate, 2′-O-methyladenosine-3′-phosphate, 2′-O-methylguanosine-3′-phosphate, 2′-O-methylcytidine-3′-phosphate, 2′-O-methyluridine-3′-phosphorothioate, 2′-O-methyladenosine-3′-phosphorothioate, 2′-O-methylguanosine-3′-phosphorothioate, 2′-O-methylcytidine-3′-phosphorothioate, 2′-fluorouridine-3′-phosphate, 2′-fluoroadenosine-3′-phosphate, 2′-fluoroguanosine-3′-phosphate, 2′-fluorocytidine-3′-phosphate, 2′-fluorocytidine-3′-phosphorothioate, 2′-fluoroguanosine-3′-phosphorothioate, 2′-fluoroadenosine-3′-phosphorothioate, and 2′-fluorouridine-3′-phosphorothioate. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the antisense nucleic acid for inhibiting the expression of ITFG1 comprises or consists of a nucleotide sequence having at least 75% sequence identity to any one of SEQ ID NOs:457 to 1482. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the inhibitory nucleic acid comprises a moiety facilitating delivery to and/or uptake by a hepatocyte and/or hepatic tissue. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the inhibitory nucleic acid comprises one or more GalNAc moieties.