Methods for inhibiting pain
OwnerClifford J Woolf, Tarek A Samad +1inventors
InventorsClifford J Woolf, Tarek A Samad, Ru-Rong Ji
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Abstract
The invention provides methods for the treatment or prevention of pain. The invention also provides screening methods for determining whether a compound inhibits IL-1β activity in the central nervous system of a mammal.
Claims29
A method of treating, reducing, or preventing pain, said method comprising contacting the central nervous system of a mammal with a compound that decreases IL-1β activity, in an amount sufficient to treat, reduce, or prevent pain, wherein said compound decreases the level of IL-1β mRNA or protein, an activity of IL-1β, the half-life of IL-1β mRNA or protein, or the binding of IL-1β to a receptor or to another molecule.
A method of treating, reducing, or preventing pain, said method comprising contacting the central nervous system of a mammal with a compound that decreases the enzymatic activity or phosphorylation level of p38, in an amount sufficient to treat, reduce, or prevent pain.
A method of treating, reducing, or preventing pain, said method comprising contacting the periphery of a mammal with a compound that decreases the enzymatic activity or phosphorylation level of a MAP kinase, in an amount sufficient to treat, reduce, or prevent pain.
A screening method for determining whether a compound inhibits IL-1β activity on the central nervous system of a mammal, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) administering said compound to the periphery of said mammal;
- and
- (b) measuring pain in said mammal or measuring IL-1β activity on the central nervous system of said mammal, in the presence and absence of said compound, whereby said compound is determined to inhibit IL-1β activity if said compound effects a decrease in said pain or said IL-1β activity.
A screening method for determining whether a compound selectively inhibits IL-1β activity on the central nervous system of a mammal, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) administering said compound to the periphery of said mammal;
- and
- (b) measuring IL-1β activity on both the central nervous system and the periphery of said mammal, in the presence and absence of said compound, whereby said compound is determined to selectively inhibit IL-1β activity on the central nervous system if said compound effects a greater decrease in IL-1β activity on the central nervous system than on the periphery.
A screening method for determining whether a compound selectively inhibits IL-1β activity on the central nervous system of a mammal, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) administering said compound to the periphery of a first mammal;
- (b) measuring the IL-1β activity on the periphery of said first mammal, in the presence and absence of said compound;
- (c) administering said compound to the central nervous system of said first mammal or a second mammal;
- and
- (d) measuring the IL-1β activity on the central nervous system of said first mammal from step (c) or said second mammal, in the presence and absence of said compound, whereby said compound is determined to selectively inhibit the IL-1β activity on the central nervous system if said compound effects a greater decrease in the IL-1β activity on the central nervous system than on the periphery.
A screening method for determining whether a compound selectively inhibits IL-1β activity on the central nervous system of a mammal, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) administering said compound to the periphery of a first mammal;
- (b) measuring pain in said first mammal, in the presence and absence of said compound;
- (c) administering said compound to the central nervous system of said first mammal or a second mammal;
- and
- (d) measuring pain in said first mammal from step (c) or said second mammal, in the presence and absence of said compound, whereby said compound is determined to selectively inhibit IL-1β activity on the central nervous system if said compound effects a greater decrease in pain when administered to the central nervous system than to the periphery.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.