Compositions and methods for promoting the mineralization of biological tissue
AssigneeNew York Society for the Ruptured and Crippled Maintaining the Hospital for Special Surgery
InventorsMatthew E. Cunningham, Agata Krzyzanowska
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Abstract
This invention relates to compositions and methods for activating and promoting mineralization in tissue that does not normally mineralize, specifically intervertebral discs. The composition comprises agents that increase the expression of the gene that encodes TNAP and/or the activation, amount or activity of TNAP protein, and agents that decrease the expression of ANK and/or ENPP and/or the activation, amount or activity of these proteins. The composition can be in the form of a cell or cells. The invention also relates to methods of using the composition.
Claims13
A composition which causes at least one of activation or promotion of mineralization of intervertebral disc tissue, the composition comprising a first agent which is a nucleic acid encoding tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphate phosphatase associated with a heterologous promoter and a second agent chosen from the group consisting of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin 1β.
A cell which causes at least one of activation or promotion of mineralization of intervertebral disc tissue, the cell comprising a first agent which is a nucleic acid encoding tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphate phosphatase associated with a promoter and a second agent chosen from the group consisting of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin 1β wherein the cell is chosen from the group consisting of a bovine nucleus pulposus cell or a human nucleus pulposus cell.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.