Grant: Operating Grant

Many of the complications of diabetes, such as kidney and heart disease, are similar to those of ageing, but occurring at a much earlier age. In other words, diabetes seems to accelerate the ageing process. Recent research in to the mechanisms that contribute to ageing has identified a pivotal role for a chemical that is present in all cells called Sirtuin-1, or Sirt1. The more Sirt1 a cell or organism has, the longer it lives. In our preliminary studies we have shown that Sirt1 levels are dramatically reduced in kidney tissue from individuals with diabetes. We have further shown that a drug which activates Sirt1, can lessen the extent of kidney damage in a mouse model of diabetic kidney disease. Given these exciting observations, we now seek to perform more definitive studies in animals with the ultimate goal of providing a new potential treatment for the prevention of kidney disease in diabetes.