Cracking The Code On Gestational Diabetes

We are getting closer to cracking the code on gestational diabetes and thus providing more treatment options for all diabetics. Researchers out of Stanford University School of Medicine have been closely examining the protein called menin in the pancreas. It is already known to help prevent cancer in the pancreas as well as other organs but now… we have a more specific gestational diabetes implication.

According to Kim’s work in mice, the pancreas accomplishes that adaptive growth by producing less menin during pregnancy. With less of the brake present, the pancreatic islet cells can divide, and this growth provides the additional insulin. Within a week after delivery the menin levels in the mice were back up to normal and the pancreatic islets began shrinking to their original size.

Thus those that produce too much menin would have issues controlling their blood sugars and regulating their own insulin with limited production of islet cells.

Understanding the mechanisms of regulating menin should lead to new ways of growing islets for transplantation into people with type-1 diabetes and could lead to new treatments for diabetes in pregnant women or obese adults, Kim said.

Well hot dog!!! As I said before, I just love science sometimes!