Grant: CIHR New Investigator

Diabetes mellitus, a metabolic disorder often associated with obesity, affects more than 2 million Canadians and 190 million people worldwide. The increased prevalence of diabetes constitutes a significant socio-economic problem. Thus, there is great need for new treatments. Insulin is produced in the pancreas by specialized cells, the beta-cells. Beta-cells play a central role in the development of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes results from selective destruction of beta-cells, whereas type 2 diabetes arises from a progressive deterioration of beta-cell mass and function. Thus, the reduction in the number of beta-cells is a common feature of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The ability to stimulate beta-cell regeneration could be a novel approach in the treatment of diabetes. Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) is a promising drug in the treatment of diabetes. It's long-acting analog is commercialized under the name Byetta. A growing body of evidence suggests that GLP-1 could promote the formation of new beta-cells in the pancreas. The formation of new beta-cells is termed "beta-cell neogenesis". In this proposal, we seek to demonstrate that GLP-1 promotes beta-cell neogenesis and to identify the molecular mechanisms involved in the process.