Pancreatic Cell Stress: The Key to Unlocking Diabetes Treatments?

Researchers at The Jackson Laboratory reveal how genetic variations impact pancreatic cell stress tolerance, linking it to diabetes risk. Their study uncovers pathways and genes that may pave the way for new prevention and treatment strategies, highlighting the potential of drugs targeting stress-related genes in diabetes management.

Pancreatic cells, similar to human cells, have a limit on stress tolerance, beyond which they start deteriorating. Overstimulation due to factors like inflammation and hyperglycemia triggers type 2 diabetes. This phenomenon is tied to DNA variations that elevate diabetes risk, as demonstrated in research conducted by The Jackson Laboratory (JAX).

Michael L. Stitzel, professor at JAX, expressed hopes of developing preventive and therapeutic strategies targeting the disrupted genes and pathways in susceptible individuals. This cutting-edge research unveiled dozens of genes that connect cell stress with increased diabetes risk.

JAX researchers have identified more than 5,000 genes that change expression under stress, spotlighting specific regulatory DNA regions carrying genetic variants linked to diabetes. The findings hint at the possibility of new drugs to make islet cells more stress-resilient.

(With inputs from agencies.)