THERAPEUTIC USES FOR NITRIC OXIDE INHIBITORS

摘要

Nitric oxide (NO) is an important growth regulator in an intact developing organism. The present invention relates to a method of increasing in a mammal a population of hematopoietic stem cells which are capable of undergoing normal hematopoiesis, differentiation and maturation in hematopoietic tissue, wherein the hematopoietic tissue is contacted with multiple doses of at least one inhibitor of NO, such as inhibitors of nitric oxide synthase (NOS). The present invention also relates to a method of increasing a population of cells in S phase in a tissue of a mammal, comprising contacting the tissue with multiple doses of at least one inhibitor of NO, such as an inhibitor of NOS. The invention also pertains to a method of regenerating tissue in an adult mammal comprising contacting a selected tissue (e.g., blood, skin, bone and digestive epithelium), or precursor cells, with multiple doses of at least one inhibitor of NO, thereby inhibiting differentiation and inducing proliferation of cells of the tissue.