From:
Sukie Crandall
Date: 2010-07-06 21:15:52 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] hypothetical: changes in fat cells might play key role in pancreatic growths and diabetes
To: fhl <ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com>
The causes of things like diabetes, insulinoma, and pancreatic (and=20
other?) tumors in general are still just hypotheses, but a new=20
discovery might point to more productive areas of investigation, and=20
perhaps tackling obesity may be important in reducing risk rates for=20
ferrets:
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-07/uoca-fcp063010.php
> University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center
> Fat cells play key role in development of type 2 diabetes
> CINCINNATI=97Cellular changes in fat tissue=97not the immune system=97lea=
d=20
> to the "hyperinflammation" characteristic of obesity-related glucose=20
> intolerance and type 2 diabetes, according to new research from the=20
> University of Cincinnati (UC).
>
> Cancer and cell biology experts say this new discovery about the=20
> cellular mechanisms behind glucose intolerance may provide a=20
> different target for drugs to treat type 2 diabetes as well as=20
> insights into how aggressive cancers form.
>
> The study, led by Jorge Moscat, PhD, is reported in the July 7,=20
> 2010, issue of the scientific journal Cell Metabolism.
>
> For this study, Moscat and his UC collaborator Maria Diaz-Meco, PhD,=20
> looked at the role of a specific gene known as protein kinase C=20
> (PKC)-zeta, which has been implicated as a key cellular contributor=20
> to malignant tumor growth. Using a preclinical animal model, they=20
> found that PKC-zeta had a dual role in the molecular signaling that=20
> leads to inflammation, switching from acting as a regulator of=20
> inflammation to a proinflammation agent in different circumstances.
>
> "This finding is quite novel because current drug development=20
> efforts target immune cells (macrophages, T-cells) to eliminate this=20
> hyperinflammation. Our research suggests obesity-related glucose=20
> intolerance has nothing to do with the immune system. It may be more=20
> effective to target adipocytes (fat cells)," explains Moscat,=20
> principal investigator of the study and chair of UC's cancer and=20
> cell biology department.
>
> In normal cells, explains Moscat, PKC-zeta regulates the balance=20
> between cellular inflammatory responses to maintain glucose control.=20
> During obesity-induced inflammation, however, the function of PKC-
> zeta changes and the molecule begins to promote inflammation by=20
> causing adipocytes to secrete a substance (IL-6) that travels in=20
> large quantities to the liver to cause insulin resistance.
>
> "We believe a similar mechanism of action is at play in malignant=20
> tumor development. Now we are trying to understand how PKC-zeta=20
> regulates IL6 to better determine how we can manipulate the protein=20
> to help prevent diabetes and cancer," he adds.
>
> Moscat and his team are working with investigators at UC's Drug=20
> Discovery Center to screen compounds that will inhibit PKC-zeta to=20
> be used in further research.
>
>
> ###
>
> Funding for this research was provided by grants from the National=20
> Institutes of Health, American Diabetes Association, UMass Diabetes=20
> Endocrinology Research Center and Marie Curie Foundation. UC's Sang=20
> Jun Lee, PhD, Ji Young Kim, PhD, Ruben Nogueiras, PhD, Juan Linares,=20
> PhD, Diego Perez-Tilve, PhD, Susanna Hofmann, MD, Angela Drew, PhD,=20
> and Matthias Tschop, MD, were collaborators on the study. Dae Young-
> Jung, PhD, Hwi Jin Ko, PhD, Michael Leitges, PhD, and Jason Kim,=20
> PhD, of the University of Massachussetts also participated in the=20
> study.
>
> The cancer and cell biology department is part of the Cincinnati=20
> Cancer Consortium, a joint cancer program involving the University=20
> of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital=20
> Medical Center and UC Health University Hospital. The collaborative=20
> initiative brings together interdisciplinary research teams of=20
> caring scientists and health professionals to research and develop=20
> new cures, while providing a continuum of care for children, adults=20
> and families with cancer.
>
Sukie (not a vet)
Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/
http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html
all ferret topics:
http://listserv.ferretmailinglist.org/archives/ferret-search.html
"All hail the procrastinators for they shall rule the world tomorrow."
(2010, Steve Crandall)
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