HES6 AS A MARKER OF PANCREATIC ENDOCRINE CELLS

• US 20080119435A1
• Filed: 08/07/2007
• Published: 05/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Burnham Institute For Medical Research, Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Burnham Institute For Medical Research, Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Levine, Fred, Tyrberg, Bjoern
• Granted Patent: US 7,776,593 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 514/44
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 5/00 Drugs for disorders of the endocrine system
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6881 for tissue or cell typing, e.g. human leukocyte antigen [HLA] probes
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2600/158 Expression markers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/507 Pancreatic cells
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/5073 Stem cells
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/56966 Animal cells

Abstract

The present invention provides methods of identifying endocrine stem and progenitor cells.

Claims

1. A method for purifying endocrine stem cells, the method comprising the steps of

(a) selecting a starting population of cells to be sorted;

(b) detecting the expression of Hes6 in a subset of said starting population of cells;

(c) separating cells expressing Hes6 from cells that do not express Hes6, wherein said separated population of cells expressing Hes6 comprises a higher percentage of endocrine stem cells relative to the starting population.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting step (b) utilizes a detectably labeled agent, wherein said agent comprises an anti-Hes6 antibody or a nucleic acid complementary to mRNA encoding Hes6.

3. A method for identifying endocrine stem cells, comprising the steps of

(a) contacting at least one test cell with a detectable agent specific for Hes6;

(b) detecting the presence of Hes6;

(c) identifying said test cell as an endocrine stem cell if the presence of Hes6 is detected.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said detectable agent comprises an anti-Hes6 antibody or a nucleic acid complementary to mRNA encoding Hes6.

5. A method of identifying a compound that modulates endocrine cell function or promotes endocrine cell proliferation, the method comprising the steps of contacting Hes6 positive cells with the compound and measuring the effect of the compound on endocrine cell function.

6. A method for identifying potential modulators of Hes6 activity, comprising contacting purified Hes6 with a pool of test compounds, selecting preferred compounds that bind Hes6 specifically, and measuring the effect of the preferred compounds on endocrine cell function.

7. A method of regenerating endocrine cells in a subject, the method comprising the step of administering to the subject an effective amount of a compound that inhibits Hes6 expression.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the compound is an siRNA that selectively inhibits Hes6 expression.