Diabetes 0.5-1% percent of the Danish population is suffering from type I diabetes mellitus, one of the highest incidences in the world. The disease often leads to serious complications and is therefore considered a major health problem in Denmark.
Gene Lab The main interest of the laboratory is the genetic regulation of the beta cell secretion, in particular during the development of type I diabetes, but also during physiological conditions.
Genetic regulation of insulin secretion Glucose stimulation of beta cells increases expression of several beta cell genes. Since it has been suggested that beta cell activity is associated with an increased risk for the development of type 1 diabetes, we have characterized genes induced by glucose in MIN6 cells using subtraction cloning.
We have identified a number of genes showing variable induction during glucose stimulation. First, several glycolytic pathway genes including enolase, triosephosphate isomerase, phosphoglycerate kinase, lactate dehydrogenase and aldolase are upregulated. We have also found that dynorphin is upregulated, although the function of the peptide in beta cells is not clear at the present.