Proteins specific to pancreatic beta cells on islets of Langerhans and their applications

摘要

Isolated nucleic acid (I) comprises, or correspond to, a 1110 bp human sequence (1), reproduced, or its derivatives. Isolated nucleic acid (I) comprises, or correspond to: (i) a 1110 bp human sequence (1); (ii) a fragment of (1) containing at least 15 consecutive nucleotides (nt) other than the expressed sequence tags GenBank BM565129, BM310003, BM875526, BG655918, BQ417284, BQ267316, BU072134, BQ267526, BQ270198, BU581447, BU070173 and BQ631692; (iii) a sequence at least 80% identical with (i) or (ii), after optimal alignment; (iv) a sequence that hybridizes under stringent conditions with (i) or (ii); or (v) the complement, sense or antisense, of (i)-(iv). Independent claims are also included for: (1) probes for detecting, identifying or determining the corresponding nucleic acid in other organisms consisting of (I); (2) primers for amplification of the corresponding nucleic acid in other organisms consisting of (I); (3) polynucleotide (Ia) obtained by amplification with the primers of (2); (4) determining the transcription profile, or alteration in this, of the gene corresponding to (I); (5) method for detecting the gene corresponding to (I), its allelic variants and functional alterations in it; (6) reagent kit for methods (4) and (5); (7) DNA chip comprising at least one (I); (8) isolated protein (II) having a 369 amino acid sequence (2), reproduced, its analogs, fragments and variants, or any protein encoded by (I); (9) protein chip containing at least one (II); (10) cloning and/or expression vector containing (I); (11) cell transformed by at least one (I) or the vector of (10); (12) non-human transgenic organism in which at least some cells contain (I) or the vector of (10), in free or integrated form; (13) preparing (II) by culturing cells of (11) or organisms of (12); (14) protein (IIa) produced by method (13); (15) mono- or poly-clonal antibodies (Ab) that recognize (II) or (IIa) specifically; (16) protein chip containing at least one Ab; (17) kit for performing method (17); (18) selecting beta -cells of the islets of Langerhans using Ab; (19) monitoring differentiation of stem cells into pancreatic islet cells and beta -cells, using Ab; and (20) screening for (bio)chemicals that interact, in vitro or in vivo, directly or indirectly, with (I), (Ia), (II) or (IIa). ACTIVITY : Antidiabetic. No details of tests for antidiabetic activity are given. MECHANISM OF ACTION : Modulating activity or expression of the zinc transporter ZnT-8, implicated in maturation and exocytosis of insulin.