USE OF SOLUBLE PROTEIN MOLECULES EXPRESSED BY THE PANCREAS AND KIDNEY GLOMERULUS

摘要

The present invention is related to the of soluble nephrin-like molecules expressed by pancreas and kidney and nucleic acid sequences encoding said nephrin-like molecules, including a human nephrin encoding cDNA, as well as binding substances, capable of specifically recognizing and binding said nephrin-like molecules. The molecules are useful for manufacturing means for diagnostic determination, screening susceptibility of, prophylactic and therapeutic treatment of diabetic and other nephropathies and of diabetes mellitus and other inflammatory and neoplastic pancreatic diseases. The invention is further characterized by the fact that the soluble nephrin-like molecules, binding substances specifically recognizing said soluble nephrin-like molecules can be used to make the diagnostic evaluation from a blood, serum and/or urine sample.