PIM-3 Kinase as a Target for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

The invention relates to isolated nucleic acid molecules and to host cells comprising such nucleic acid molecules. Moreover, the invention relates to a polypeptide having PIM-3 activity and having a definite amino acid sequence, as well as to the use of PIM-3 as a screening agent for identifying anti-type 2 diabetes mellitus drugs and for preparing a medicament for the treatment of insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes mellitus.

1 - 5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . A method of identifying a subject with type 2 diabetes mellitus or insulin resistance, comprising the steps of:
 providing a sample from a subject;   contacting, in vitro, a portion of the sample with an antibody comprising specific binding affinity for a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2;   calculating an amount of the polypeptide based on said step of contacting; and   identifying the subject as having type 2 diabetes mellitus or insulin resistance if there is a difference between the amount of polypeptide in the subject sample and a control sample.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the subject has a normal blood glucose level. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the subject has normal glycohemoglobin (HbA1c) levels. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the subject is healthy. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the subject is undiagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus or insulin resistance. 
     
     
         11 . A method of identifying a subject with type 2 diabetes mellitus or insulin resistance, comprising the steps of:
 providing a sample from a subject;   contacting, in vitro, a portion of the sample with an oligonucleotide probe comprising specific binding affinity for a nucleic acid comprising SEQ ID NO:1 or a nucleic acid transcribed from SEQ ID NO:1;   calculating an amount of the nucleic acid based on said step of contacting; and   identifying the subject as having type 2 diabetes mellitus or insulin resistance if there is a difference between the amount of nucleic acid in the subject sample and a control sample.