Methods to stimulate insulin production by pancreatic beta-cells

Patent Number: 6903073

Hedgehog proteins are involved in development and other biological functions through activation of their receptor called "patched". Hedgehog signalling is inhibited by cyclopamine. Since the authors of the patent originally found that inhibiting hedgehog signalling reduces insulin production, and transfection with hedgehog increases insulin production, (Thomas MK, Rastalsky N, Lee JH, Habener JF. Hedgehog signaling regulation of insulin production by pancreatic beta-cells. Diabetes. 2000 Dec;49(12):2039-47.)
the authors patented that stimulation of hedgehog expression would increase insulin production. This is interesting since another paper actually states that inhibiting hedgehog signalling stimulates pancreatic development (Kim SK, Melton DA. Pancreas development is promoted by cyclopamine, a hedgehog signaling inhibitor. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1998 Oct 27;95(22):13036-41.)

Theoretically, the clinical translation of this patent seems difficult since gene therapy is still not readily utilized, so we do not know how the patent can be practiced in on a practical level. The one independent claim of the patent is:

A method of treating deficiency of insulin in a patient, comprising administering to a patient in need thereof a nucleic acid encoding hedgehog protein, said hedgehog protein being one of desert hedgehog, indian hedgehog, or sonic hedgehog, in an amount effective to raise the level of insulin in said patient.

View this patent on the USPTO website.