Wound healing composition of IGF-I and TGF-.beta.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION We claim: 1.
A method for healing an external wound of a mammal comprising applying to said wound a wound-healing amount of a composition consisting essentially or purified Insulin-like growth factor-1 and transforming growth factor beta.
2.
The method of claim 1 wherein the weight to weight ratio of said Insulin-like growth factor-1 to said transforming growth factor beta in said composition is between 1:4 and 25:1.
3.
The method of claim 2 wherein said ratio is between 1:2 and 10:1.
4.
The method of claim 3 wherein said ratio is about 1:2 or 2:1.
5.
A wound healing composition consisting essentially of purified Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 and purified transforming growth factor beta, in a weight to weight ratio of 1:4 to 25:1.
6.
The composition of claim 5 wherein said ratio is between 1:2 and 10:1.
7.
The composition of claim 6 wherein said ratio is about 1:2 or 2:1.
8.
A method for preparing a composition for healing wounds, consisting essentially of mixing purified Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 and purified transforming growth factor beta in a weight to weight ratio of 1:4 to 25:1.




Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to healing wounds.
Growth factors are polypeptide hormones which stimulate a defined population of target cells.
Examples of growth factors include platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I), transforming growth factor beta (TGF-.
beta.
), transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-.
alpha.
), epidermal growth factor (EGF), and fibroblast growth factor (FGF).
TGF-.
beta.
is a multifunctional regulatory polypeptide synthesized by many cell types and sequestered in human platelets in amounts similar to PDGF.
The in vitro biological effects of TGF-.
beta.
are dependent upon the presence of other growth factors: TGF-.
beta.
in the presence of PDGF stimulates fibroblast growth, and in the presence of EGF inhibits fibroblasts (Roberts, et al.
Proc.
Natl.
Acad.
Sci, USA 82:119).
TGF-.
beta.
inhibits proliferation of epithelial cells in vitro (Shipley et al