Method for enhancing proliferation or differentiation of a cell using ob protein

Patent Number: 7074397

This patent is useful for treatment of neutropenias and other conditions where expansion of bone marrow is required. The patent teaches the use of WSX ligands in stimulation of hematopoiesis. One such ligand is leptin. The patent has 2 independent claims. The first covers enhancing proliferation or differentiation a cell of the hematopoietic lineage through administration of the OB protein (leptin), but inserts the proviso that no other cytokine is added to the cell concurrently. The second covers repopulating a recipient with blood cells by administration of the ob protein, it also has the proviso that another cytokine is not added concurrently. This is very interesting since in the dependent claims the authors claim other cytokines to be added. In any case, Leptin is an important biological mediator in numerous areas besides obesity (leptin inhibits obesity), and this is patent is illustration of the numerous activities of this interesting molecule. One of the authors of the patent published a paper that appears to be similar to what is described in the patent (Bennett BD, et al. A role for leptin and its cognate receptor in hematopoiesis Curr Biol. 1996 Sep 1;6(9):1170-80, the email of on of the inventors and author is matty@gene.com ).

View this patent on the USPTO website.