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Diabetes

Protective role of autophagy in pancreatic β cells

Nature Reviews Endocrinology volume 10, page 575 (2014)Cite this article

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The results of three studies published simultaneously in The Journal of Clinical Investigation highlight the importance of autophagy in protecting the function of pancreatic β cells and preventing the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

“For many years it was proposed that T2DM was caused by insulin resistance, and insulin resistance was attributed to obesity,” explains Peter Butler, senior investigator in one of the studies. “The problem with this model is that 80% of individuals who have morbid obesity never develop T2DM, they simply adapt to the insulin resistance by appropriately increasing insulin secretion to maintain normal blood sugar levels.” How T2DM develops in people with insulin resistance, therefore, still warrants clarification.

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References

  1. Rivera, J. F. et al. Autophagy defends pancreatic β cells from human islet amyloid polypeptide-induced toxicity. J. Clin. Invest. 10.1172/JCI71981

  2. Kim, J. et al. Amyloidogenic peptide oligomer accumulation in autophagy-deficient β cells induces diabetes. J. Clin. Invest. 10.1172/JCI69625

  3. Shigihara, N. et al. Human IAPP-induced pancreatic β cell toxicity and its regulation by autophagy. J. Clin. Invest. 10.1172/JCI69866

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Authors
  1. Joana Osório
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Osório, J. Protective role of autophagy in pancreatic β cells. Nat Rev Endocrinol 10, 575 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrendo.2014.144

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