Inositol Pyrophosphates Determine Exocytotic Capacity

Abstract

The invention provides reagents and methods for treating type II diabetes, as well as methods for identifying compounds for treating type II diabetes.

1 . A method for treating type II diabetes comprising administering to a patient with type II diabetes an effective amount of a therapeutic capable of increasing expression of IP6K1 kinase. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the increased expression of IP6K1 results in an increase in InsP 7  expression. 
     
     
         3 . A method for stimulating insulin exocytosis from pancreatic beta cells comprising administering to a patient in need thereof an effective amount of a therapeutic capable of increasing expression IP6KI kinase. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the increased expression of IP6K1 results in an increase in InsP 7  expression. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the therapeutic comprises a gene therapy vector capable of increasing the expression of IP6K1. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the therapeutic comprises IP6K1, or an active fragment thereof. 
     
     
         7 . A method for treating type II diabetes comprising administering to a patient with type II diabetes an effective amount of a therapeutic capable of increasing production of InsP 7 . 
     
     
         8 . A method for identifying a compound for treating type II diabetes comprising:
 (a) contacting pancreatic beta cells with one or more test compounds; and   (b) determining expression level of IP6K1 kinase and/or levels of InsP7;   wherein an increase in the expression of IP6K1 kinase and/or an increase in InsP7 indicates that the compound is suitable for treating type II diabetes.