Regulation Of Pancreatic Beta-cell Number And Function By Adipocyte-released Hormones, Free Fatty Acids And Ghrelin.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$256,500.00
Summary
The disease diabetes mellitus comprises a heterogeneous group of disorders all characterised by high blood glucose levels. Beta-cells in the pancreas, which secrete insulin, are central to the pathophysiology of the disease. Type 1 or insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus results from an absolute deficiency of insulin due to auto immunological destruction of the pancreatic beta cell, and accounts for 5-10% of total diabetes mellitus. In the more common type 2 or non-insulin-dependent diabetes mell ....The disease diabetes mellitus comprises a heterogeneous group of disorders all characterised by high blood glucose levels. Beta-cells in the pancreas, which secrete insulin, are central to the pathophysiology of the disease. Type 1 or insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus results from an absolute deficiency of insulin due to auto immunological destruction of the pancreatic beta cell, and accounts for 5-10% of total diabetes mellitus. In the more common type 2 or non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, liver, muscle and fat cells are resistant to the action of insulin and compensatory mechanisms that are activated in the beta-cell to increase insulin secretion are not sufficient to maintain normal blood glucose levels. In Western countries including Australia, type 2 diabetes currently affects around 2% of the whole population and about 6% of adults (10% of over 60-y) and continues to grow at around 6% per annum. Type 2 diabetes often occurs in obese patients and a direct link between obesity and type 2 diabetes has been strongly suggested by research to date. It has also been found that a progressive loss of beta-cell function throughout the course of the disease results in the reduction of insulin secretion. The contribution of excessive fat tissue in obese patients to the progress of type 2 diabetes is not clear. Certain hormones from fat cells, metabolic regulatory hormone, and fatty acids have been demonstrated to influence the function of beta-cells in previous studies, including our own. We now aim to investigate in detail the effect of these on cultured beta-cells with molecular and cell biology techniques. We expect to identify a factor or factors which stimulate or inhibit the progress of beta-cell dysfunction, with the potential to identify therapeutic targets in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.Read moreRead less
Type 2 diabetes is reaching epidemic proportions across the world and is a huge burden in health care costs. We know it is a multifaceted disease with many symptoms, one of which is a reduction in insulin secretion. This proposal sets out to determine the mechanisms of insulin secretion from healthy tissue and what goes wrong in disease.