Method for promoting regeneration of pancreatic beta-cells by administering neurturin

A method for treating a mammal having impaired beta-cell function, wherein said method comprises the steps of:

• a) administering a neurturin product to said mammal in an amount sufficient to increase neurturin concentration relative to an untreated mammal having impaired beta-cell function;
• wherein the neurturin product comprises a biologically active neurturin polypeptide;
• wherein the biologically active neurturin polypeptide is capable of dimerizing with another neurturin polypeptide and activating RET signaling;
• and wherein the biologically active neurturin polypeptide shares at least 90% sequence identity with:
• i) the human neurturin precursor protein having the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 7;
• or
• ii) the mature neurturin protein product that results from the cleavage of the human neurturin protein precursor having an amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 7;
• b) administering to said mammal an immunosuppressive agent.

A method for promoting regeneration of pancreatic beta-cells in a mammal having impaired beta-cell function, comprising the step of:

• administering a neurturin product to said mammal in an amount sufficient to increase neurturin concentration relative to an untreated mammal having impaired beta-cell function, wherein the number of functional beta-cells in said mammal administered the neurturin product are increased;
• wherein the neurturin product comprises a biologically active neurturin polypeptide;
• wherein the biologically active neurturin polypeptide is capable of dimerizing with another neurturin polypeptide, wherein the biologically active neurturin polypeptide shares at least 95% sequence identity with:
• a) the human neurturin precursor protein having the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 7;
• or
• b) the mature neurturin protein product that results from the cleavage of the human neurturin protein precursor having an amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 7.

A method for treating a mammal having impaired beta-cell function, wherein said method comprises the steps of:

• administering a neurturin product to said mammal in an amount sufficient to increase neurturin concentration relative to an untreated mammal having impaired beta-cell function, wherein the number of functional beta-cells in said mammal administered the neurturin product are increased;
• wherein the neurturin product comprises a biologically active neurturin polypeptide;
• wherein the biologically active neurturin polypeptide is capable of dimerizing with another neurturin polypeptide, wherein the biologically active neurturin polypeptide shares at least 95% sequence identity with:
• a) the human neurturin precursor protein having the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 7;
• or
• b) the mature neurturin protein product that results from the cleavage of the human neurturin protein precursor having an amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 7.