PDX-1 and MafA as Potential Therapeutic Targets for Diabetes

Title: PDX-1 and MafA as Potential Therapeutic Targets for Diabetes

Volume: 1 Issue: 3

Author(s): Hideaki Kaneto, Takeshi Miyatsuka and Taka-aki Matsuoka

Affiliation:

Keywords: pancreas development, bHLH transcription factor, maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY), insulin gene, PDX-1-VP16 fusion protein

Abstract: Pancreatic and duodenal homeobox factor-1 (PDX-1) plays a crucial role in pancreas development and β-cell differentiation, and functions as an activator of insulin gene transcription. MafA is a recently isolated β-cell-specific transcription factor which functions as a potent activator of insulin gene transcription. PDX-1 and MafA play crucial roles in inducing insulin-producing cells from non- β-cells and could be therapeutic targets for diabetes. On the other hand, expression and/or activities of PDX-1 and MafA in β-cells are reduced under diabetic conditions. Alteration of such transcription factors leads to suppression of insulin biosynthesis and secretion and thus explains, at least in part, the molecular mechanism for β-cell glucose toxicity.

Cite this article as:

Kaneto Hideaki, Miyatsuka Takeshi and Matsuoka Taka-aki, PDX-1 and MafA as Potential Therapeutic Targets for Diabetes, Current Signal Transduction Therapy 2006; 1 (3) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/157436206778226905