Diesease Mechanism for Reduced Insulin Production Found

Newly-discovered by researchers in Sahlgrenska Academy, a mechanism that describes how insulin can be produced in those with type 2 diabetes may change treatment options. The mechanism shows how insulin-producing cells regress in development, becoming immature.

Clinical treatments could exploit this new knowledge to produce long-term or even permanent treatments and potential "cures" for diabetes. Knowing the process does not produce the cure, of course, but it opens the research pathways to make that possible.

One of the lead researchers responsible for the findings describes the process like interconnected intercontinental airports.

"All airports are connected in a large network, but a disruption at a hub like Frankfurt Airport is much more serious than a disruption in Gothenburg. We searched out the hubs, i.e. the key genes, and the major links. Of almost 3,000 genes that were changed in diabetes, 168 could be described as Frankfurt genes. It was these we focused on," says Anders Rosengren, associate professor at the Department of Neuroscience and Physiology at Sahlgrenska.

The gene responsible, SOX5, was previously not associated with diabetes. Researchers recognized the gene's role in insulin production regression, however, and experimentally suppressed its function. This resulted in the 168 "Frankfurt" genes that cause insulin production deteriorating to become immature. Increasing SOX5 reversed the process.

"It's very exciting to see. It was almost like a volume control, where you could increase or decrease the maturity level of the insulin-producing cells," said Rosengren.

The research findings will likely result in new medications being put through the approval process within the next few years.

Source: ScienceDaily.com