The Role Of Vitamin D In Beta Cell Function, Glucose Tolerance And Diabetes Mellitus.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$102,820.00
Summary
A significant proportion of Australians are deficient in Vitamin D, a vitamin obtained from sunlight exposure and to a lesser extent from food. Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with increased risk of Type 2 diabetes. This study aims to demonstrate the mechanisms through which vitamin D affects the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas and to determine whether deficiency affects the body's handling of glucose and subsequent risk of Type 2 diabetes and diabetes in pregnancy.
Understanding The Cause And Consequence Of Impaired Insulin Secretion In The NZO Mouse A Model Of Diabetes.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$711,224.00
Summary
Type 2 diabetes is a major health problem affeting over 1 million Australians. A key feature of this disease is reduced secretion of the pancreratic hormone insulin which results in high blood sugar levels. We are using a naturally occurring animal model of diates called the NZO mouse to understand why the pancreas secretes less insulin and the consequences of this defect. This project has the potential of providing better therapeutic strategies for patients with Type 2 diabetes.
Expansion, Differentiation And Functional Analysis Of In Vitro Derived Pdx1+ Pancreatic Progenitors
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$540,075.00
Summary
Type 1 diabetes is a condition that arises when the body's immune system destroys insulin-producing beta cells within the pancreas. Recent studies have shown that normal glucose control can be restored by replacing the missing beta cells by transplantation of cells from deceased donors. However, the demand for transplant material outweighs supply. The work described in this application seeks to define how insulin-producing beta cells can be derived in the laboratory from embryonic stem cells .
Investigations Of Beta Cell Dysfunction And Death In Type 2 Diabetes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$314,433.00
Summary
Diabetes is a disease that affects 100 million people worldwide and this number is expected to double in the next twenty years. This disease is characterised by high blood sugar levels which over prolonged periods of time can affect the function of the kidneys and eyes as well as causing heart attacks and strokes. A main contributing factor to diabetes is the inability of the pancreas to secrete insulin, the hormone that is responsible for keeping blood sugar levels in the normal range. The reas ....Diabetes is a disease that affects 100 million people worldwide and this number is expected to double in the next twenty years. This disease is characterised by high blood sugar levels which over prolonged periods of time can affect the function of the kidneys and eyes as well as causing heart attacks and strokes. A main contributing factor to diabetes is the inability of the pancreas to secrete insulin, the hormone that is responsible for keeping blood sugar levels in the normal range. The reason for this inability of the pancreas to secrete enough insulin is not known. It is known however, that both genetic and environmetal factors are responsible. The aim of this investigation is to determine the biochemical and genetic reason for decreased insulin secretion from an animal model of diabetes called DBA-2J mouse. Specifically we will be studying the effects of long-term increased sugar and fat on the function of the insulin producing cells of the pancreas, in order to identify the biochemical pathway responsible for reduced insulin secretion. In parallel we will be investigating the gene or genes in DBA-2J mice that are responsible for decreased insulin secretion and pancreatic cell death. This will provide clues as to the genes that may be responsible for diabetes in humans. This project will provide crucial information on the cause of reduced insulin secretion both at the cellular and genetic level, and will lead to a better understanding of the cause of diabetes.Read moreRead less
The Role Fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase On The Regulation Of Hepatic Gluconeogenesis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$212,485.00
Summary
Type 2 or adult onset diabetes is a disease characterised by high blood sugar that causes damage to the kidneys, eyes and to the circulation and many patients die from heart attack or stroke. There is an increase in the prevalence of diabetes in Australia and a substantial portion of the health budget is utilised by caring for people with diabetes. Determining what exactly causes the increase in blood sugar levels is critical in the treatment of the disease. It is known that the sugar produced a ....Type 2 or adult onset diabetes is a disease characterised by high blood sugar that causes damage to the kidneys, eyes and to the circulation and many patients die from heart attack or stroke. There is an increase in the prevalence of diabetes in Australia and a substantial portion of the health budget is utilised by caring for people with diabetes. Determining what exactly causes the increase in blood sugar levels is critical in the treatment of the disease. It is known that the sugar produced and released by the liver is an important contributor to the high blood sugar levels found in patients with diabetes. The main biochemical pathway responsible for this is called gluconeogenesis, a complex arrangement of enzymes, which convert amino acids and fat into sugar. Although it is known that this pathway is overactive in patients with diabetes, the exact reason for this is not clearly understood. The aim of this proposal is to produce a transgenic mouse that has an increase in liver sugar production as a result of an increase in gluconeogenesis, and to study its effects on blood sugar levels. Furthermore, studies will be performed to understand the regulation of this pathway by infusing the transgenic mice with insulin, the hormone that inhibits gluconeogenesis. The mechanism of action of insulin will be determined by the measurement of key enzymes that regulate gluconeogenesis. The significance of this grant is to identify possible sites for the development of new drugs or gene therapy that will lead to a decrease in the production of sugar by the liver. This will lead to better control of blood sugar levels and slow down or even prevent the onset of diabetes complications.Read moreRead less
Effect Of Oral Glutamine On GLP-1 And Insulin Secretion And Glycaemia In Humans.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$397,444.00
Summary
Diabetes is an ever increasing problem with serious complications. We will investigate whether glutamine, one of the most common amino acids (protein building blocks) in the body, has a beneficial effect on blood glucose and insulin levels in the body in people who have type 2 (non-insulin dependent) diabetes. If so, glutamine supplementation may represent a novel, cheap and palatable way of improving outcomes and preventing the development of complications in people with type 2 diabetes.
The Identification Of A Novel NIDDM Susceptibility Gene Localised To Human Chromosome 12q
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$438,055.00
Summary
Non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (adult-onset diabetes) is very common in Australia and is a major public health problem. It is a leading cause of kidney failure, blindness, heart attacks, strokes and amputations. Over 3% of the Australian population have adult-onset diabetes, and very few Australians have not been touched in some way by the shadow of diabetes. The precise cause of diabetes is unknown, however we do know that it tends to run in families, indicating that an inherited tende ....Non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (adult-onset diabetes) is very common in Australia and is a major public health problem. It is a leading cause of kidney failure, blindness, heart attacks, strokes and amputations. Over 3% of the Australian population have adult-onset diabetes, and very few Australians have not been touched in some way by the shadow of diabetes. The precise cause of diabetes is unknown, however we do know that it tends to run in families, indicating that an inherited tendency is important. By finding genes which cause diabetes we have the opportunity to unravel much of the mystery of this condition. This research program will find genes which cause diabetes by searching for them in large pedigrees in which many family members are affected by diabetes. Finding the genes which cause diabetes will have a significant impact in at least three major ways. Firstly, it will increase our understanding of the disease process. Secondly, it will be possible to develop tests to identify people at risk of diabetes at a very early stage so that therapy can be introduced and complications averted. Thirdly, it will be possible to develop new and more effective approaches for the prevention and treatment of diabetes.Read moreRead less