Use of a systems biology approach to understand pancreatic beta-cell death in Type 1 diabetes.
Accumulating evidence indicates that beta-cells die by apoptosis in T1DM (Type 1 diabetes mellitus). Apoptosis is an active gene-directed process, and recent observations suggest that beta-cell apoptosis depends on the parallel and/or sequential up- and down-regulation of hundreds of genes controlled by key transcription factors such as NF-kappaB (nuclear factor kappaB) and STAT-1 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 1). Understanding the regulation of these gene networks, and how they modulate beta-cell death and the 'dialogue' between beta-cells and the immune system, will require a systems biology approach to the problem. This will hopefully allow the search for a cure for T1DM to move from a 'trial-and-error' approach to one that is really mechanistically driven.
Eizirik
Decio L
DL
Laboratory of Experimental Medicine, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), 808 Route de Lennik, B-1070, Brussels, Belgium. deizirik@ulb.ac.be
Moore
Fabrice
F
Flamez
Daisy
D
Ortis
Fernanda
F
D000818:Animals; D016923:Cell Death; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D053263:Gene Regulatory Networks; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D049490:Systems Biology / Q000379:methods*