Pancreatic islet transcription factor and uses thereof

Abstract

The present invention provides a pancreatic islet transcription factor and methods of treating and diagnosing diabetes.

1 . An antisense polynucleotide or a small interfering RNA (siRNA) that inhibits expression of a nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide comprising in the following order: a proline/glutamine rich domain, an RFX DNA binding domain (SEQ ID NO:4), an RFX B domain (SEQ ID NO:5), an RFX C domain (SEQ ID NO:6), a dimerization domain (SEQ ID NO:7) and a serine/threonine domain. 
     
     
         2 . The antisense polynucleotide or siRNA of  claim 1 , wherein the nucleic acid encodes SEQ ID NO:2. 
     
     
         3 . The antisense polynucleotide or siRNA of  claim 1 , wherein the nucleic acid comprises SEQ ID NO:1. 
     
     
         4 . The antisense polynucleotide or siRNA of  claim 1 , which is an antisense polynucleotide. 
     
     
         5 . The antisense polynucleotide or siRNA of  claim 1 , which is an siRNA. 
     
     
         6 . An expression vector encoding the antisense polynucleotide or siRNA of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         7 . The expression vector of  claim 6 , which encodes the antisense polynucleotide. 
     
     
         8 . The expression vector of  claim 6 , which encodes the siRNA. 
     
     
         9 . The expression vector of  claim 6 , wherein the nucleic acid encodes SEQ ID NO:2. 
     
     
         10 . The expression vector of  claim 6 , wherein the nucleic acid comprises SEQ ID NO:1. 
     
     
         11 . A host cell transfected with the expression vector of  claim 6 . 
     
     
         12 . The host cell of  claim 11 , wherein the cell is a pancreatic islet cell. 
     
     
         13 . The host cell of  claim 12 , wherein the cell is an islet β-cell.