Methods and agents for diagnosis and prevention, amelioration or treatment of goblet cell-related disorders

摘要

The present invention inter alia relates to methods for the prevention, amelioration or treatment of medical conditions associated with an alteration in normal goblet cell function. It also relates to methods of screening for disease-relevant markers indicative of an increased risk of a subject of developing such a condition. It furthermore relates to an animal model useful for studying said conditions and the molecular mechanisms underlying them, and uses of that animal model, for example for the identification of diagnostic markers or agents useful for the prevention, amelioration, or treatment of a goblet cell-related disorder. Novel agents useful in the above methods, and novel pharmaceutical compositions are likewise provided. The invention further relates to screening methods for agonists and antagonists useful for performing said methods.