The invention features compositions featuring (a) one or more of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and human C-terminal CTGF peptide; and (b) one or more of insulin and IGF-1; and methods of using such compositions to reduce cardiac tissue damage associated with an ischemic event or to enhance engraftment of a cell in a cardiac tissue.

Recombinant AAV (rAAV) vectors comprising a rAVV genome comprising a heterologous nucleic acid encoding a lysosomal protein, e.g., acid alpha-glucosidase (GAA) polypeptide, and optionally a signal peptide and/or optionally a targeting sequence, e.g., IGF2 targeting peptide, operatively linked to a liver-specific promoter (LSP), enabling the GAA polypeptide to be secreted from the liver and targeted to the lysosomes. Particular embodiments relate to a recombinant AAV (rAAV) vector encoding an alpha-glucosidase (GAA) polypeptide, having a liver secretory signal peptide and a IGF2 targeting peptide that binds human cation-independent mannose-6-phosphate receptor (CI-MPR) or to the IGF2 receptor, permitting proper subcellular localization of the GAA polypeptide to lysosomes. Also encompassed are cells, and methods to treat a lysosomal disease, for example, a glycogen storage disease type II (GSD II) disease and/or Pompe Disease with the rAAV vector.

Recombinant AAV (rAAV) vectors comprising a rAVV genome comprising a heterologous nucleic acid encoding a lysosomal protein, e.g., acid alpha-glucosidase (GAA) polypeptide, and optionally a signal peptide and/or optionally a targeting sequence, e.g., IGF2 targeting peptide, operatively linked to a liver-specific promoter (LSP), enabling the GAA polypeptide to be secreted from the liver and targeted to the lysosomes. Particular embodiments relate to a recombinant AAV (rAAV) vector encoding an alpha-glucosidase (GAA) polypeptide, having a liver secretory signal peptide and a IGF2 targeting peptide that binds human cation-independent mannose-6-phosphate receptor (CI-MPR) or to the IGF2 receptor, permitting proper subcellular localization of the GAA polypeptide to lysosomes. Also encompassed are cells, and methods to treat a lysosomal disease, for example, a glycogen storage disease type II (GSD II) disease and/or Pompe Disease with the rAAV vector.

The invention relates to a viral expression construct and related viral vector and composition and to their use wherein said construct and vector comprise elements a) and b): a) a nucleotide sequence encoding an insulin operably linked to a first promoter, b) a nucleotide sequence encoding a glucokinase operably linked to a second promoter and said viral expression construct and related viral vector comprise at least one of elements c), d) and e): c) the first and the second promoters are positioned in reverse orientation within the expression construct, d) the first and the second promoters are positioned in reverse orientation within the expression construct and are located adjacent to each other and e) the first promoter is a CMV promoter, preferably a mini CMV promoter.

The invention relates to a viral expression construct and related viral vector and composition and to their use wherein said construct and vector comprise elements a) and b): a) a nucleotide sequence encoding an insulin operably linked to a first promoter, b) a nucleotide sequence encoding a glucokinase operably linked to a second promoter and said viral expression construct and related viral vector comprise at least one of elements c), d) and e): c) the first and the second promoters are positioned in reverse orientation within the expression construct, d) the first and the second promoters are positioned in reverse orientation within the expression construct and are located adjacent to each other and e) the first promoter is a CMV promoter, preferably a mini CMV promoter.

The present application relates to a method for diagnosing a glucose transporter type 1 (GLUT1) deficiency syndrome that utilizes polypeptides derived from the soluble part of the glycoprotein of the enveloped virus of primate T-cell leukemia virus (PTLV). The polypeptides, named receptor binding domain ligands (RBD), are selected for their ability to bind specifically to GLUT1. The method involves determining the level of GLUT 1 expression at the cell surface and comparing the level to a reference value.

The present application relates to a method for diagnosing a glucose transporter type 1 (GLUT1) deficiency syndrome that utilizes polypeptides derived from the soluble part of the glycoprotein of the enveloped virus of primate T-cell leukemia virus (PTLV). The polypeptides, named receptor binding domain ligands (RBD), are selected for their ability to bind specifically to GLUT1. The method involves determining the level of GLUT 1 expression at the cell surface and comparing the level to a reference value.

The present invention relates generally to a population of cells genetically modified to produce insulin in a glucose responsive manner and uses thereof. More particularly, the present invention relates to a population of cells genetically modified to produce insulin in response to physiologically relevant levels of glucose and uses thereof. The cells of the present invention are useful in a wide variety of applications, in particular in the context of therapeutic and prophylactic regimes directed to the treatment of diabetes and/or the amelioration of symptoms associated with diabetes, based on the transplantation of the cells of the present invention into mammals requiring treatment. Also facilitated is the design of in vitro based screening systems for testing the therapeutic effectiveness and/or toxicity of potential adjunctive treatment regimes.

The present invention relates generally to a population of cells genetically modified to produce insulin in a glucose responsive manner and uses thereof. More particularly, the present invention relates to a population of cells genetically modified to produce insulin in response to physiologically relevant levels of glucose and uses thereof. The cells of the present invention are useful in a wide variety of applications, in particular in the context of therapeutic and prophylactic regimes directed to the treatment of diabetes and/or the amelioration of symptoms associated with diabetes, based on the transplantation of the cells of the present invention into mammals requiring treatment. Also facilitated is the design of in vitro based screening systems for testing the therapeutic effectiveness and/or toxicity of potential adjunctive treatment regimes.

The screening method of the present invention is useful for screening drugs such as insulin secretagogues having an insulin secretagogue activity with minimized side effects (hypoglycemia induction, etc.). The transformant in which a polynucleotide encoding the fusion protein used for the screening method is introduced, the screening kit comprising the transformant, etc. are also useful for screening excellent drugs.