Methods, Compositions and Articles of Manufacture for Enhancing Survivability of Cells, Tissues, Organs, and Organisms

Abstract

The present invention concerns the use of oxygen antagonists and other active compounds for inducing stasis or pre-stasis in cells, tissues, and / or organs in vivo or in an organism overall, in addition to enhancing their survivability. It includes compositions, methods, articles of manufacture and apparatuses for enhancing survivability and for achieving stasis or pre-stasis in any of these biological materials, so as to preserve and / or protect them. In specific embodiments, there are also therapeutic methods and apparatuses for organ transplantation, hyperthermia, wound healing, hemorrhagic shock, cardioplegia for bypass surgery, neurodegeneration, hypothermia, and cancer using the active compounds described.

Description

[0001]This application is related to U.S. Provisional Patent Applications 60 / 673,037 and 60 / 673,295 both filed on Apr. 20, 2005, as well as U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60 / 713,073, filed Aug. 31, 2005, U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60 / 731,549, filed Oct. 28, 2005, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60 / 762,462, filed on Jan. 26, 2006, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.[0002]The government may own fights in the present invention pursuant to grant number GM048435 from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS).BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]1. Field of the Invention[0004]The present invention relates generally to the field of cell biology and physiology. More particularly, it concerns methods, compositions and apparatuses for enhancing survivability of and / or reducing damage to cells, tissues, organs, and organisms, particularly under adverse conditions, including but not limited to hypoxic or anoxic states, using on...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013]The invention is based, in part, on studies with compounds that were determined to have a protective function, and thus, serve as protective agents. Moreover, the overall results of studies involving different compounds indicate that compounds with an available electron donor center are particularly effective in inducing stasis or pre-stasis. In addition, these compounds induce reversible stasis, meaning they are not so toxic to the particular biologic matter that the matter dies or decomposes. It is further contemplated that the present invention can be used to enhance survivability of and / or to prevent or reduce damage to biological matter, which may be subject to or under adverse conditions.

[0165]In other embodiments of the invention, methods are provided for enhancing the ability of biological matter to enter stasis in response to an injury or disease by providing an effective amount of an active compound, thereby protecting the biological matter from damage or injury, thereby enhancing survival of biological matter. Related embodiments include methods of preparing or priming biological matter for entry into stasis in response to an injury or disease by providing an effective amount of an active compound. Other related embodiments include method of inducing biological matter into pre-stasis, thereby protecting the biological matter from damage or injury. For example, treatment with an active compound at a dosage or for a time less than required to induce stasis enables the biological matter to more readily or more completely achieve a beneficial state of stasis in response to an injury or disease, while in the absence of treatment with the active compound, the biological matter would die or suffer damage or injury before it reached a protective level of stasis, e.g., a level sufficient to render the biological matter resistant to lethal hypoxia.

Problems solved by technology

This stasis is incomplete and cannot be relied upon for extended periods.

Unfortunately, the expression of this reflex is not the same in all people, and is believed to be a factor in only 10-20% percent of cold-water immersion cases.

However, dependence on temperature can be problematic, as apparatuses and agents for producing such low temperatures may not be readily available when needed or they may require replacement.

For example, tissue culture cells are often stored for periods of time in tanks that hold liquid nitrogen; however, these tanks frequently require that the liquid nitrogen in the unit be periodically replaced, otherwise it becomes depleted and the temperature is not maintained.

Furthermore, damage to cells and tissue occurs as a result of the freeze / thaw process.

Moreover, the lack of ability to control cellular and physiologic metabolism in whole organisms subjected to traumas such as amputation and hypothermia is a key shortcoming in the medical field.

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