Patent ID: 7648964

Claim:
A method of inhibiting epithelial cell apoptosis or other form of epithelial cell death, wherein the cells have been subjected to an insult selected from the group consisting of blepharitis, Dry Eye, conjunctivitis, Sjogren's syndrome, corneal abrasion, ulceration, bacterial infection, direct trauma, surgery, radiant energy, ionizing energy, viral infection, fungal infection, parasitic infection, keratitis, systemic dermatologic disorders, collagen vascular diseases, Reiter's disease, and Behcet's disease, said method comprising contacting said cells before or after the insult with a composition comprising an effective amount of a polypeptide which comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, 10, 16, 17, 18, and 19, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, thereby inhibiting epithelial cell apoptosis or other form of epithelial cell death.