Mechanism behind age-dependent diabetes discovered
Karolinska Institutet
Ageing of insulin-secreting cells is coupled to a progressive decline in signal transduction and insulin release, according to a recent study by researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden. As the investigators behind the recent study searched for a link between ageing, beta cell dysfunction and diabetes, they took a closer look at calcium ions. The second type of mouse represents naturally mature ageing, whereas the third is more resistant to age-induced deterioration. When comparing the mice, the investigators found that the function of the mitochondria is reduced with age. The defective metabolism-induced deterioration in calcium ion dynamics reflects an important age-dependent phenotype that may have a critical role in the development of type 2 diabetes, says Principal Investigator Per-Olof Berggren at The Rolf Luft Research Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology.