A New Way to Treat Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes?

Maria Lindahl and her team at the University of Helsinki have found that the removal of mesencephalic astrocyte–derived neurotrophic factor MANF specifically from β-cells in adult mice results in the loss of β-cells in diabetes. "This indicates that MANF expression is needed for the survival, maintenance and function of pancreatic β-cells in mice. MANF was also found to protect stressed β-cells from death and to induce the proliferation of β-cells from old mice," Maria Lindahl says. “This discovery further suggests that MANF has therapeutic potential for the treatment of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, where β-cell protecting and regenerating therapies are not available,” says Tatiana Danilova from Maria Lindahl's team. In previous collaboration studies at the University of Helsinki by the groups directed by Professor Mart Saarma and Professor Timo Otonkoski, MANF deficiency in mice led to diabetes due to the progressive loss of insulin-producing pancreatic β-cells. MANF was found to be important for the survival and proliferation of both human and mouse β-cells in culture. https://www.technologynetworks.com/drug-discovery/news/a-new-way-to-treat-type-1-and-type-2-diabetes-311298?utm_campaign=Newsletter_TN_BreakingScienceNews&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=67155703&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_qb_1wF69DOC19iPGOfTE2I5pOf9POZOBtoCfaupivs-9A8ZzNbx0c3aBESLn467lW7al-j6XT8cq73UEj8ivGVJbvXw&_hsmi=67155703