Abstract: The invention provides methods for treating or reducing the risk of developing acute lung injury manifested by increased vascular permeability. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions comprising an FTY720 analog or derivative and/or SEW 2871 for use in the disclosed methods. The invention also provides methods for treating or reducing the risk of developing acute lung injury resulting from dysregulation of ceramide/sphingolipid pathway, more specifically, acute lung injury resulting from radiation.

Abstract: The invention provides prophylactic and therapeutic methods for administering a ?-opioid receptor antagonist, e.g., N-methylnaltrexone or a salt thereof, to treat cell barrier diseases and disorders, such as endothelial and epithelial cell barrier diseases and disorders, e.g., inflammatory bowel disease. Methods of reducing the symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease and the risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease are also provided.

Abstract: The instant invention provides compositions, e.g., compositions comprising oxidized phospholipids, for the treatment of diseases, disorders and conditions, e.g., cute lung injury syndromes, sepsis, vascular leakage, edema, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) or acute inflammation.

Abstract: The present invention concerns methods and compositions involving inhibitors of Pre-B Cell Colony Enhancing Factor (PBEF) for inflammatory conditions and diseases, including acute lung injury (ALI), ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI), and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The present invention also concerns biomarkers for inflammation as well as methods for screening for PBEF inhibitors.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide methods of attenuating, e.g., inhibiting or reducing, cellular proliferation and migration, particularly endothelial cell proliferation and migration, including that associated with angiogenesis, as well as attenuating cancerous tumor growth and metastasis, using opioid antagonists, including, but not limited to, those that are peripherally restricted antagonists.

Abstract: The present invention concerns methods and compositions involving hyaluronan that has been substantially purified to enrich for hyaluronan with a molecular weight above 500 kilodaltons. This hyaluronan can be used for diseases and conditions characterized or caused by increased vascular permeability or angiogenesis. The higher molecular weight hyaluronan restores vascular integrity and inhibits angiogenesis in embodiments of the invention.

Abstract: Compositions and methods of the invention are related to treating pulmonary hypertension using a Raf kinase inhibitor, such as sorafenib. IQ a particular aspect, pulmonary hypertension is pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Abstract: The invention provides methods of screening for modulators of microbial PA-I lectin/adhesin activity, including modulators of PA-I expression, as well as the modulators so identified, pharmaceutical compositions and kits containing such modulators. These modulators include soluble and membrane-bound bacterial signaling compounds produced by cells of a host containing a microbial pathogen. Methods for preventing and treating cell disorders, such as epithelial cell disorders including gut-derived sepsis, a burn injury, neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis, severe neutropenia, toxic colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, enteropathy, transplant rejection, pouchitis, pig belly, Pseudomonas-mediated opthalmologic infection, Pseudomonas-mediated otologic infection and Pseudomonas-mediated cutaneous infection, using the modulators are contemplated, as are methods for ameliorating a symptom associated with such a disorder.

Abstract: The invention provides methods of attenuating, e.g., inhibiting or reducing, cellular proliferation and migration, particularly endothelial cell proliferation and migration, including that associated with angiogenesis, using opioid antagonists, including, but not limited to, those that are peripherally restricted antagonists.

Abstract: The invention provides prophylactic and therapeutic methods for administering a ?-opioid receptor antagonist to treat cell barrier diseases and disorders, such as endothelial and epithelial cell barrier diseases and disorders. The diseases or disorders may amenable to the methods include inflammation, such as acute lung injury, atherosclerosis, gut-derived sepsis, a burn injury, neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis, severe neutropenia, toxic colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, enteropathy, transplant rejection, pouchitis, pig belly (pig-bel), Pseudomonas-mediated opthalmologic infection, Pseudomonas-mediated otologic infection and Pseudomonas-mediated cutaneous infection. More generally, epithelial cell barrier disorders are contemplated as amenable to the prophylactic and therapeutic methods. The diseases and disorders may be induced by microbial pathogens, including bacterial pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa.