Methods and Compositions for Modulating Beta Cell Proliferation
AssigneeThe Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
InventorsHainan Chen, Seung K. Kim
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and compositions are provided for modulating pancreatic islet β cell proliferation. Aspects of the methods include promoting β cell proliferation by providing agents that promote PDGFR signaling, or inhibiting β cell proliferation by providing agents that inhibit PDGFR signaling. These methods find a number of uses, including, for example, in the treatment of diabetes and human islet diseases. Also provided are reagents and kits thereof that find use in practicing the subject methods.
Claims20
A method of promoting β cell proliferation, comprising
- contacting the β cell with an agents that promotes PDGFR signaling in an amount effective to promote β cell proliferation.
A method of inhibiting β cell proliferation, comprising
- contacting the β cell with an agents that inhibits PDGFR signaling in an amount effective to inhibit β cell proliferation.
A method of screening a candidate agent for the ability to modulate β cell proliferation, comprising:
- contacting a PDGFRα-expressing β cell with a candidate agent,
- comparing the activity of PDGFRα in the β cell contacted with the agent to the PDGFRα activity in a cell not contacted with the candidate agent,
- wherein a candidate agent that modulates the activity of PDGFRα is an agent that that modulates β cell proliferation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.