Therapeutic manipulation of the insulin receptor kinase - A review

Understanding the detailed mechanisms mediating insulin signal transduction has been viewed as a critical step in the development of therapeutic applications to ameliorate diabetes and its attendant complications. One critical element in the insulin-signalling pathway is the insulin receptor. The insulin receptor is a heterotetrameric transmembrane protein that binds insulin on the surface of cells and transduces insulin signals through the plasma membrane to the cytoplasm. With the cloning of the gene for the insulin receptor it became possible to efficiently manipulate the receptor and identify sequences that are crucial to its function. In turn, these analyses have uncovered potential therapeutic approaches to enhance receptor function. The patents covered by this review date from 1988 to 1999.