Ocular gene therapy

Abstract

The invention relates to methods of ocular gene therapy.

1 - 12 . (canceled)  
   
   
       13 . A method of treating an ocular wound after surgery, said method comprising directly contacting an exogenous nucleic acid and an ocular cell in situ under conditions permissive for the direct uptake of said exogenous nucleic acid by said ocular cell, whereby said exogenous nucleic acid is expressed in said ocular cell.  
   
   
       14 . A method of treating an ocular wound, said method comprising directly contacting an exogenous nucleic acid and an ocular cell in situ under conditions permissive for the direct uptake of said exogenous nucleic acid by said ocular cell, said exogenous nucleic acid encoding a protein useful in alleviating said ocular wound, whereby said exogenous nucleic acid is expressed in said ocular cell.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said exogenous nucleic acid encodes transforming growth factor β (TGF-β).  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said ocular wound is a corneal epithelial wound.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said corneal epithelial wound is a corneal ulceration.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the exogenous nucleic acid comprises a growth factor  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the protein encoded by the exogenous nucleic acid is expressed.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the contacting step comprises infecting the ocular cell with a viral expression vector comprising the exogenous nucleic acid.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the viral expression vector comprises an adenovirus, retrovirus, adenoassociated virus, or Epstein-Barr virus.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the ocular wound is a surgical incision.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the ocular wound is treated after surgery.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the exogenous nucleic acid sequence is transiently expressed.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the ocular cell is a corneal cell.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the corneal cell is a corneal epithelial cell.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the corneal cell is a corneal endothelial cell.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the ocular cell is a choroid cell.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising superficial corneal epithelial debridement before contacting the ocular cell with the exogenous nucleic acid.  
   
   
       30 . A method of treating a corneal wound, comprising contacting a corneal cell in situ with an adenoviral expression vector comprising an exogenous nucleic acid encoding transforming growth factor β and expressing the exogenous nucleic acid in the corneal cell.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the corneal cell is a corneal epithelial cell.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the corneal cell is a corneal endothelial cell.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising superficial corneal epithelial debridement before contacting the corneal cell with the exogenous nucleic acid.