Treatment of tissues to reduce subsequent response to injury

Abstract

An exogenous stimulus is applied to tissues or cells which are at risk in a subsequent surgical procedure or other intervention which induces a response by the cells that minimizes reaction to the subsequent procedure. Stimuli can be chemical, physiological or physical. Examples include those stimuli known to induce expression of stress response proteins or heat shock proteins, especially heat shock protein 70 (hsp 70) and hsp 90, for example, exposure to heat or dilute hydrogen peroxide, or direct administration of exogenous heat shock proteins, or those stimuli which act to inhibit or reduce heat shock protein expression, for example, treatment with flavonoids. An amount effective to modulate levels of stress response proteins or reduce the endogenous response is administered, based on in vitro assays which are used to determine levels of heat shock proteins or which are experimentally determined to reduce cell proliferation, thrombus formation, and matrix deposition following subsequent exposure to a procedure. Procedures can be surgery, angioplasty, or abrasion. The method and compositions are also useful in mediating some disease processes, where the process involves undesirable migration.