Mutations within the diabetes - susceptibility genes for the hepatocytes core factors (hnf) hnf - 1alpha, hnf - 1beta and hnf - 4alpha

摘要

The present invention relates generally to the fields diabetes. More particularly, it concerns the identification of genes responsible for NIDDM for use in diagnostics and therapeutics. The present invention demonstrates that the MODY3 locus is, in fact, the HNF-1α gene, MODY4 locus is the HN-F1β and the MODY1 locus is the HNF-4α gene. The invention further relates to the discovery that analysis of mutations in the HNF-1α, HNF-1β and HNF-4α genes can be diagnostic for diabetes. The invention also contemplates methods of treating diabetes in view of the fact that HNF-1α, HNF-1β and HNF-4α mutations can cause diabetes.