BLOCKADE OF AIRWAY HYPERRESPONSIVENESS AND INFLAMMATION IN A MURINE MODEL OF ASTHMA BY INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH FACTOR BINDING PROTEIN-3 (IGFBP-3)

摘要

The physiological role of IGFBP-3 in respiratory inflammation and hyperresponsiveness is presently unknown. The present invention is based on the unexpected finding that both wild-type IGFBP-3 and the IGFBP-3 mutant GGG-IGFBP-3 inhibit tissue inflammation and hyperresponsiveness associated with obstructive respiratory disorders such as bronchial asthma. Provided herein are methods of treating obstructive respiratory disorders and various conditions associated with airway hyperresponsiveness, including asthma, by administering recombinant IGFBP-3 or IGFBP-3 mutants or vectors encoding IGFBP-3 or IGFBP-3 mutants.