Regulation of genes via application of specific and selective electrical and electromagnetic signals
AssigneeThe Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania
InventorsCarl T Brighton, Solomon R Pollack
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and devices (10) for the regulation of gene expression by cells via the application of specific and selective electric and electromagnetic signals so as to target diseased or injured tissue for treatment. Gene expression is the up regulation or down regulation of the process whereby specific portions, genes of the human genome (DNA) are transcribed into mRNA and subsequently translated into protein.
Claims25
A method of treating injured or diseased tissue comprising the steps of:
- providing at least one specific and selective signal that varies the expression of at least one target gene;
- and
- exposing the injured or diseased tissue to the specific and selective signal for a predetermined duration of time at predetermined intervals so as to regulate expression of the target gene.
A method for treating osteoarthritis comprising the steps of:
- providing a first electric field that varies the expression of at least one first gene encoding at least one of aggrecan and Type II collagen;
- and
- exposing tissue to the first electric field for a predetermined duration at predetermined intervals so as to selectively up-regulate expression of the first gene.
A method for treating cancerous tissue comprising the steps of:
- providing at least one first electric field that varies the expression of at least one gene encoding metalloproteinase or tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase;
- exposing cancerous cells and tissue to the electric field for a predetermined duration at predetermined intervals so as to perform at least one of (a) selectively down-regulating expression of the gene encoding metalloproteinase and (b) selectively up-regulating expression of the gene encoding tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase.
A device for the treatment of injured or diseased tissue comprising a signal source that provides at least one signal specific and selective for expression of at least one gene of the injured or diseased tissue, and electrodes connected to the signal source that permit-application of said at least one specific and selective signal to the injured or diseased tissue.
A method of determining a selective signal that regulates a specific target gene in a desired manner, comprising the steps of selecting a starting signal known to increase or suspect to affect cellular production of a given protein in a desired fashion, selectively varying a duration of application of said starting signal until an optimal duration that provides an optimal production of said given protein is found, varying an amplitude of the starting signal for the optimal duration of time until an optimal production of said given protein is found, and varying a duty cycle of the signal until an optimal production of said given protein is found.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.