A method for promoting growth of bone, periodontium, ligament, or cartilage in a mammal by applying to the bone, periodontium, ligament, or cartilage a composition comprising platelet-derived growth factor at a concentration in the range of about 0.1 mg/mL to about 1.0 mg/mL in a pharmaceutically acceptable liquid carrier and a pharmaceutically-acceptable solid carrier.

The present invention provides binding polypeptides (e.g., antibodies or fragments thereof) that specifically bind to a target antigen (e.g., a human antigen, e.g., human PDGFRβ) with high affinity. The invention also provides, libraries of binding polypeptides, pharmaceutical compositions, as well as nucleic acids encoding binding polypeptides, recombinant expression vectors and host cells for making such binding polypeptides. Methods of using binding polypeptide of the invention to diagnose and treat disease are also encompassed by the invention.

The present invention provides binding polypeptides (e.g., antibodies or fragments thereof) that specifically bind to a target antigen (e.g., a human antigen, e.g., human PDGFRβ) with high affinity. The invention also provides, libraries of binding polypeptides, pharmaceutical compositions, as well as nucleic acids encoding binding polypeptides, recombinant expression vectors and host cells for making such binding polypeptides. Methods of using binding polypeptide of the invention to diagnose and treat disease are also encompassed by the invention.

Methods of delivering therapeutic agents by administering compositions including a bacterial collagen-binding polypeptide segment linked to the therapeutic agent to subjects in need of treatment with the therapeutic agent are provided. In these methods, the therapeutic agent is not a PTH/PTHrP receptor agonist or antagonist, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) or epidermal growth factor (EGF). The bacterial collagen-binding polypeptide segment delivers the agent to sites of partially untwisted or under-twisted collagen. Methods of treating collagenopathies using a composition including a collagen-binding polypeptide and a PTH/PTHrP receptor agonist are also provided. In addition, methods of treating hyperparathyroidism, and hair loss using compositions comprising a collagen binding polypeptide and a PTH/PTHrP receptor agonist are provided. Finally, methods of reducing hair regrowth by administering a composition including a collagen binding polypeptide and a PTH/PTHrP receptor antagonist are provided.

Methods of delivering therapeutic agents by administering compositions including a bacterial collagen-binding polypeptide segment linked to the therapeutic agent to subjects in need of treatment with the therapeutic agent are provided. In these methods, the therapeutic agent is not a PTH/PTHrP receptor agonist or antagonist, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) or epidermal growth factor (EGF). The bacterial collagen-binding polypeptide segment delivers the agent to sites of partially untwisted or under-twisted collagen. Methods of treating collagenopathies using a composition including a collagen-binding polypeptide and a PTH/PTHrP receptor agonist are also provided. In addition, methods of treating hyperparathyroidism, and hair loss using compositions comprising a collagen binding polypeptide and a PTH/PTHrP receptor agonist are provided. Finally, methods of reducing hair regrowth by administering a composition including a collagen binding polypeptide and a PTH/PTHrP receptor antagonist are provided.

Provided is a method of treating coronary artery disease in a mammal, comprising administering to a region of the heart of the mammal (a) a first vector encoding one or more angiogenic proteins which induce vascularization in the heart of the mammal, and (b) a second vector encoding one or more cardio-differentiating transcription factors which induce the production of induced cardiomyocytes (iCM) in the heart of the mammal, whereby the coronary artery disease in the mammal is treated. In a preferred embodiment, the first vector is an adenoviral vector encoding VEGF and the second vector is a lentiviral vector encoding Gata4, Mef2c, and Tbx5 (GMT).

Provided is a method of treating coronary artery disease in a mammal, comprising administering to a region of the heart of the mammal (a) a first vector encoding one or more angiogenic proteins which induce vascularization in the heart of the mammal, and (b) a second vector encoding one or more cardio-differentiating transcription factors which induce the production of induced cardiomyocytes (iCM) in the heart of the mammal, whereby the coronary artery disease in the mammal is treated. In a preferred embodiment, the first vector is an adenoviral vector encoding VEGF and the second vector is a lentiviral vector encoding Gata4, Mef2c, and Tbx5 (GMT).

A method for promoting growth of bone, periodontium, ligament, or cartilage in a mammal by applying to the bone, periodontium, ligament, or cartilage a composition comprising platelet-derived growth factor at a concentration in the range of about 0.1 mg/mL to about 1.0 mg/mL in a pharmaceutically acceptable liquid carrier and a pharmaceutically-acceptable solid carrier.

Provided herein are methods of engineering a cell line for reduced dependence on exogenous growth factor(s). In some embodiments, the method includes introducing into a cell one or more of: a polynucleotide comprising a coding sequence of a growth factor ligand; a polynucleotide comprising a coding sequence of a growth factor receptor; or a polynucleotide comprising a coding sequence of an activated downstream growth factor target, and culturing the cells in a cultivation infrastructure.

Provided herein are methods of engineering a cell line for reduced dependence on exogenous growth factor(s). In some embodiments, the method includes introducing into a cell one or more of: a polynucleotide comprising a coding sequence of a growth factor ligand; a polynucleotide comprising a coding sequence of a growth factor receptor; or a polynucleotide comprising a coding sequence of an activated downstream growth factor target, and culturing the cells in a cultivation infrastructure.