Scientists elucidate role of diabetes gene
EU-funded researchers have worked out how a gene called PTPN2 contributes to the development of type 1 diabetes. The scientists hope their findings will lead to the creation of new therapies to treat the condition. The research, published recently in the journals Nature Reviews Endocrinology and Diabetes, was partly supported by the EU through the SAVEBETA ('Molecular pathways underlying decreased beta cell mass in diabetes mellitus') project, which is financed under the 'Life sciences, genomics and biotechnology for health' Thematic area of the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6). Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease, and recent research suggests that molecules called inflammatory mediators may play a stronger role in the condition than was previously thought. Inflammation is a biological response that is triggered by infection or injury, for example. If the inflammation is not brought under control, or if the inflammatory signals are 'misread' by the body, it can result in an autoimmune disease, like type 1 diabetes. In type 1 diabetes, localised inflammation of the pancreas leads to the loss of insulin-producing beta cells. If this loss of the beta cells is not halted, the patient will eventually become dependent on insulin injections. Recent studies seem to show that molecules called inflammatory mediators both suppress the function of the beta cells and contribute to their death. They are also able to block or stimulate the regeneration of beta cells and can cause insulin resistance. Meanwhile, other analyses reveal that the gene PTPN2 appears to be implicated in the development of type 1 diabetes. In this latest study, scientists at the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) in Belgium demonstrate that PTPN2 plays a key role in the dialogue between the immune system and the beta cells of the pancreas, thereby increasing inflammation and causing the onset and subsequent progression of the disease. Some 150 million people worldwide suffer from diabetes, a figure which is predicted to rise to 300 million by 2025. Scientists in the SAVEBETA project are investigating the molecular signals behind the loss of pancreatic beta cells in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. With this information, they hope to identify new targets for drugs that will be able to treat the disease.
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