title: Mechanisms of pancreatic beta-cell apoptosis in diabetes and its therapies.
abstract: Diabetes occurs when beta-cells no longer function properly or have been destroyed. Pancreatic beta-cell death by apoptosis contributes significantly in both autoimmune type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Pancreatic beta-cell death can be induced by multiple stresses in both major types of diabetes. There are also several rare forms of diabetes, including Wolcott-Rallison syndrome, Wolfram syndrome, as well as some forms of maturity onset diabetes of the young that are caused by mutations in genes that may play important roles in beta-cell survival. The use of islet transplantation as a treatment for diabetes is also limited by excessive beta-cell apoptosis. Mechanistic insights into the control of pancreatic beta-cell apoptosis are therefore important for the prevention and treatment of diabetes. Indeed, a substantial quantity of research has been dedicated to this area over the past decade. In this chapter, we review the factors that influence the propensity of beta-cells to undergo apoptosis and the mechanisms of this programmed cell death in the initiation and progression of diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Diabetes Research Group, Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6T 1Z3. jimjohn@interchange.ubc.ca
authors.forename: James D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Dan S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Luciani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D008024:Ligands; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D008957:Models, Genetic
chemical_list: D008024:Ligands