Resolving beta-cell dysfunction in Type 2 and Mitochondrial Diabetes
Novo Nordisk Foundation
Lund University
Type 2 Diabetes is caused by the combined action of gene variants and environmental factors. This results in reduced insulin secretion due to an impact on the cells that release insulin. It has been nearly impossible understand how these risk genes cause loss of insulin secretion – scientists have neither had access to insulin-secreting cells from risk patients nor been able to correct underlying genetic variation. These hurdles have now been removed – we can make insulin-secreting cells from skin cells in patients carrying risk genes, using stem cell technology. In these insulin-secreting cells, we can correct the risk genes, by replacing a single DNA base, that confers the genetic risk. Using this approach, we will examine how risk genes, as well as mitochondrial DNA mutations, contribute to the development of diabetes. Stem cell lines we have created will be deposited in a biobank – LUNiPS – available to the research community. Our results may result in novel drugs for diabetes.
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