Use of tight junction antagonists in the treatment of acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress

Abstract

The present application provides compositions and methods for treating acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome. The methods include administering one or more tight junction antagonists to the lung of a subject in need thereof.

1 . A method of treating an excessive or undesirable permeability of lung tissue containing tight junctions comprising:
 administering to a subject in need thereof a composition comprising a tight junction antagonist.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the subject is a human. 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . A method of  claim 1 , wherein the antagonist is a peptide that comprises GGVLVQPG (SEQ ID NO: 15). 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 4 , wherein the peptide consists of GGVLVQPG (SEQ ID NO: 15). 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition is administered in conjunction with an additional therapeutic agent. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 6 , wherein the composition and the additional therapeutic agent are administered simultaneously. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 6 , wherein the composition and the additional therapeutic agent are not administered simultaneously. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 6 , wherein the composition further comprises the additional therapeutic agent. 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 6 , wherein the additional therapeutic agent is selected from the group consisting of aminosalicylates, corticosteroids, immunomodulators, antibiotics, cytokines, chemokines and biologic therapeutics. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition is formulated for pulmonary delivery. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subject has acute respiratory distress syndrome. 
     
     
         13 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subject has acute lung injury. 
     
     
         24 - 33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . A composition formulated for pulmonary delivery comprising a peptide tight junction antagonist comprising the amino acid sequence GGVLVQPG (SEQ ID NO:15). 
     
     
         35 - 39 . (canceled)