Inventors:
Vittorio Sartorelli - Bethesda MD, US
Pier Lorenzo Puri - San Diego CA, US
Assignee:
The Salk Institute for Biological Study - La Jolla CA
The United States of America as represented by the Department of Health and Human Services - Washington DC
International Classification:
A61K 38/00
A61K 31/557
A61K 31/165
US Classification:
514 2, 514 12, 514574, 514619
Abstract:
A method of enhancing progenitor cell differentiation, including enhancing myogenesis, neurogenesis, and hematopoiesis, by contacting a progenitor cell with an effective amount of a deacetylase inhibitor (DI). The progenitor cell can be part of cell culture, such as a cell culture used for in vitro or in vivo analysis of progenitor cell differentiation, or can be part of an organism, such as a human or other mammal. Contacting the progenitor cell with a DI can lead to enhancement of expression of terminal cell-type specific genes in the progenitor cell, such as enhancing expression of muscle-specific genes in myoblasts. Administering a DI to a subject also can provide some prophylactic or therapeutic effect for inhibiting, preventing, or treating associated with a degeneration or loss of tissue. The DI can be administered to a subject as part of a pharmaceutical composition.