USE OF THE SGK GENE FAMILY FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THERAPY OF CATARACTS AND GLAUCOMA.

摘要

The invention relates to the use of a functional inhibitor of hsgk1or hsgk3 protein or a negative transcription regulator of the hsgk1 or hsgk3 gene in the production of a medicament for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of a cataract, glaucoma or diabetic neuropathy. Another aspect of the invention relates to the use of a single-stranded or double-stranded nucleic acid comprising the hsgk1 sequence according to Acc No. NM 005627 or one of the fragments thereof or comprising the hsgk3 sequence according to Acc. No. AF169035 or one of the fragments thereof in the diagnosis of a predisposition to the formation of a cataract, glaucoma and/or diabetic neuropathy, in addition to a kit for diagnosis of a predisposition to the formation of a cataract, glaucoma and/or diabetic neuropathy, comprising the above-mentioned nucleic acid. The invention further relates to various screening methods for identifying and characterizing therapeutically effective substances from a plurality of test substances for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of at least one disease selected from cataracts, glaucoma or diabetic neuropathy.