Commun Biol: The new study challenges the existing pattern of diabetes research.

October 2, 2020 /--- The experimental model is critical to understanding the pathetics of diabetes and developing better drugs.
, the most common model of diabetes disease has destroyed insulin-producing cells in the pancreas by using the toxic compound STZ.
now, researchers at the University of Umeå and the Karolinska Institute have presented new evidence that challenges important aspects of the model.
used in basic research or as a means of evaluating anti-diabetic drugs, the new study could significantly affect the application and interpretation of this widely used model.
STZ is a drug that produces insulin in the pancreas in mice β toxic to cells.
when these β cells are destroyed, they lead to insufficient insulin production, which causes the body's cells to absorb glucose with limited energy.
(Photo: www.pixabay.com) STZ has been used in many studies to model diabetes in rodents and has been widely used by pharmaceutical companies to test the efficacy of anti-diabetic drugs.
cell tissue that produces β islets, which are scattered throughout the pancreas.
although it is widely believed that the drug induces diabetes primarily by destroying β cells, the researchers' results suggest that while it does destroy β cells, it is not the leading cause of diabetes development.
, they used advanced imaging and molecular biology techniques to show that the vast majority of β cells still exist, but islets of different sizes are affected to varying degrees.
, the researchers showed that the remaining affected insulin-producing cells lost their identity and turned into more immature states.
this leads to elevated blood sugar levels and damage to insulin cells.
the loss of insulin-producing cells in the model is easily overestimated," said Ulf Ahlgren, a professor at the Center for Molecular Medicine (UCMM).
" in general, this study may significantly affect the use and interpretation of previous and new studies using this common diabetes research model.
"Interestingly, when blood sugar levels are normalized by transplanting healthy insulin-producing cells to non-pancreatic areas, the affected β cells can at least partially restore their functional properties.
," Ulf Ahlgren said.
(bioon.com) Source: New Research Challenges the most common model for Diabetes Research Source: Max Hahn et al. Topologically selective islet vulnerability and self-sustained downregulation of markers for β-cell maturity in streptozotocin-induced diabetes, Communications Biology (2020). DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-01243-2.