title: Glucose metabolism and pancreatic defects in spinal muscular atrophy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is the number 1 genetic killer of young children. It is caused by mutation or deletion of the survival motor neuron 1 (SMN1) gene. Although SMA is primarily a motor neuron disease, metabolism abnormalities such as metabolic acidosis, abnormal fatty acid metabolism, hyperlipidemia, and hyperglycemia have been reported in SMA patients. We thus initiated an in-depth analysis of glucose metabolism in SMA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Glucose metabolism and pancreas development were investigated in the Smn(2B/-) intermediate SMA mouse model and type I SMA patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Here, we demonstrate in an SMA mouse model a dramatic cell fate imbalance within pancreatic islets, with a predominance of glucagon-producing α cells at the expense of insulin-producing β cells. These SMA mice display fasting hyperglycemia, hyperglucagonemia, and glucose resistance. We demonstrate similar abnormalities in pancreatic islets from deceased children with the severe infantile form of SMA in association with supportive evidence of glucose intolerance in at least a subset of such children.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that defects in glucose metabolism may play an important contributory role in SMA pathogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada.
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bowerman
authors.forename: Kathryn J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Swoboda
authors.forename: John-Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Michalski
authors.forename: Gen-Sheng
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Courtney
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Reeks
authors.forename: Ariane
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Beauvais
authors.forename: Kelley
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Woulfe
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Screaton
authors.forename: Fraser W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: Rashmi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kothary
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005934:Glucagon / Q000097:blood; D044882:Glucose Metabolism Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000473:pathology; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D010182:Pancreatic Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics; D014897:Spinal Muscular Atrophies of Childhood / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics; D055533:Survival of Motor Neuron 1 Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D055533:Survival of Motor Neuron 1 Protein; D005934:Glucagon