Regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation using peptides

A method of treating a hyperproliferative skin disorder in a mammal, said method comprising contacting a mammalian skin cell in need thereof with an amount of a peptide effective to treat said skin disorder, wherein the peptide is at least 8 amino acids long, has at least 50% homology with the 34 amino acid N-terminal region of hPTH or hCFF, and is capable of inhibiting proliferation or enhancing differentiation in vitro of cultured human keratinocytes.

A method of inducing proliferation of a mammalian skin cell, said method comprising contacting a mammalian skin cell in need of proliferation with a proliferation-inducing amount of a peptide, wherein the peptide is at least 8 amino acids long, has at least 50% homology with the 34 amino acid N-terminal region of hPTH or hCFF, and is capable of blocking the inhibition of proliferation or stimulation of differentiation in vitro of cultured human keratinocytes by PTH (1-34), 1,25(OH).sub.2 D.sub.3 or CFF (1-34).

A method of enhancing healing of a skin wound in a mammal in need thereof, said method comprising contacting said wound with a wound-healing enhancing amount of a peptide, wherein the peptide is at least 8 amino acids long, has 100% homology with the 34 amino acid N-terminal region of hCFF, and is capable of enhancing wound healing in an in vivo skin punch assay.

A method of enhancing healing of a skin wound in a mammal in need thereof, said method comprising contacting said wound with a wound-healing enhancing amount of a peptide, wherein the peptide is at least 8 amino acids long, has 50% homology with the 34 amino acid N-terminal region of hPTH, and is capable of enhancing wound healing in an in vivo skin punch assay.

A method of enhancing or maintaining hair growth in a mammal, said method comprising administering to a mammal in need thereof of an amount of a peptide effective to enhance or maintain hair growth, wherein the peptide is at least 8 amino acids long, has at least 75% homology with the 34 amino acid N-terminal region of hCFF, and is capable of enhancing hair growth in an in vitro hair growth assay.

A method of enhancing or maintaining hair growth in a mammal, said method comprising administering to a mammal in need thereof of an amount of a peptide effective to enhance or maintain hair growth, wherein the peptide is at least 8 amino acids long, has 100% homology with the 34 amino acid N-terminal region of hPTH, and is capable of enhancing hair growth in an in vitro hair growth assay.

A method of stimulating epidermal regrowth in a mammal in need thereof, said method comprising administering to a mammal a skin growth enhancing amount of a peptide, wherein the peptide is at least 8 amino acids long, has at least 50% homology with the 34 amino acid N-terminal region of hPTH or hCFF, and is capable of blocking the inhibition of proliferation or stimulation of differentiation in vitro of cultured human keratinocytes by PTH (1-34), 1,25(OH).sub.2 D.sub.3 or CFF (1-34).