• HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
Tuesday, August 26, 2025
BIOENGINEER.ORG
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
        • Lecturer
        • PhD Studentship
        • Postdoc
        • Research Assistant
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
        • Lecturer
        • PhD Studentship
        • Postdoc
        • Research Assistant
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
No Result
View All Result
Bioengineer.org
No Result
View All Result
Home NEWS Science News Biology

Scientists discovered mechanisms behind neonatal diabetes

Bioengineer by Bioengineer
December 17, 2018
in Biology
Reading Time: 2 mins read
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on LinkedinShare on RedditShare on Telegram

IMAGE

Credit: Otonkoski Lab / University of Helsinki

Insulin is secreted from the beta cells which are located in the pancreas, and it is crucial for the maintenance of normal blood sugar levels. Deficiency of insulin leads to diabetes, characterized by elevated blood sugar. Diabetes most commonly presents in childhood as Type 1 diabetes and in adults as Type 2 diabetes.

Sometimes diabetes is diagnosed already in very small babies, during the first six months of life. In these cases, mutations in the gene encoding insulin are often found.

These mutations are only found in one copy of the gene; that means that half of the produced insulin is normal, which should be enough to secure normal blood sugar. However, this is not the case: insulin secretion stops totally after a few months. It is believed that this is caused by a toxic effect of the mutant insulin inside the cell, but the exact mechanisms are poorly understood.

Mutant insulin is known to cause a chronic stress reaction in the beta cell, and it has been thought that this leads to the death of the cell. It is important to understand the detailed consequences of beta-cell stress, because this may help to develop drugs for the prevention of both rare and common forms of diabetes.

“We now had the chance to test this with real patient-derived cells”, tells Professor Timo Otonkoski from the University of Helsinki.

Researchers created a human disease model using stem cells from people carrying insulin gene mutations; then they corrected cells using a gene editing technique called CRISPR. The mutant and corrected stem cells were then induced to turn into insulin-secreting beta cells and the researchers followed the function of the cells after transplanting them in mice.

“The main finding of the study was that these cells do not die from the chronic stress, but their growth and development is disturbed. These effects are mediated through processes that could potentially be targeted by drugs”, Dr. Diego Balboa says.

“In this study, we describe mechanisms linking chronic cellular stress to the poor development of the insulin-producing cells. A strongly reduced number of beta-cells will cause diabetes immediately, but even a milder defect will increase the risk of diabetes later in life. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of these processes may help in devising ways to preserve the mass and function of beta cells”, Otonkoski states.

###

Media Contact
Timo Otonkoski
[email protected]
358-504-486-392

Original Source

https://www.helsinki.fi/en/news/health-news/scientists-discovered-mechanisms-behind-neonatal-diabetes

Related Journal Article

http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.38519

Tags: BiologyCell BiologyDevelopmental/Reproductive BiologyDiabetesGeneticsMedicine/HealthMetabolism/Metabolic Diseases
Share12Tweet8Share2ShareShareShare2

Related Posts

Dihydromyricetin Shields Against Spinal Cord Injury Damage

Dihydromyricetin Shields Against Spinal Cord Injury Damage

August 26, 2025
Key Genes Identified in Nutrient Stress During Virus Infection

Key Genes Identified in Nutrient Stress During Virus Infection

August 26, 2025

NYU Abu Dhabi Researchers Identify Unique Survival Strategies Adopted by Fish in the World’s Warmest Waters

August 26, 2025

Catfish Expert Releases Updated Volume on Catfish Biology and Evolution

August 26, 2025
Please login to join discussion

POPULAR NEWS

  • blank

    Breakthrough in Computer Hardware Advances Solves Complex Optimization Challenges

    148 shares
    Share 59 Tweet 37
  • Molecules in Focus: Capturing the Timeless Dance of Particles

    142 shares
    Share 57 Tweet 36
  • New Drug Formulation Transforms Intravenous Treatments into Rapid Injections

    115 shares
    Share 46 Tweet 29
  • Neuropsychiatric Risks Linked to COVID-19 Revealed

    81 shares
    Share 32 Tweet 20

About

We bring you the latest biotechnology news from best research centers and universities around the world. Check our website.

Follow us

Recent News

AI Enhances Personalized Cancer Treatment Recommendations

Stress Hyperglycemic Ratio Links to Mortality in Diabetic Heart Failure

DOD Awards Research Grant to MMRI Scientist Developing Advanced Monitoring Techniques for Transplant Health in Wounded Veterans

  • Contact Us

Bioengineer.org © Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Homepages
    • Home Page 1
    • Home Page 2
  • News
  • National
  • Business
  • Health
  • Lifestyle
  • Science

Bioengineer.org © Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved.