Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Desmoglein-2 Is Important For Islet Function And Β-Cell Survival, Kay K. Myo Min, Darling Rojas-Canales, Daniella Penko, Mark Denichilo, Michaelia P. Cockshell, Charlie B. Ffrench, Emma J. Thompson, Olof Asplund, Christopher J. Drogemuller, Rashmi B. Prasad, Leif Groop, Shane T Grey, Helen E. Thomas, Thomas Loudovaris, Thomas W. Kay, My G. Mahoney, Claire F. Jessup, P. Toby Coates, Claudine S. Bonder

Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology Faculty Papers

Type 1 diabetes is a complex disease characterized by the lack of endogenous insulin secreted from the pancreatic β-cells. Although β-cell targeted autoimmune processes and β-cell dysfunction are known to occur in type 1 diabetes, a complete understanding of the cell-to-cell interactions that support pancreatic function is still lacking. To characterize the pancreatic endocrine compartment, we studied pancreata from healthy adult donors and investigated a single cell surface adhesion molecule, desmoglein-2 (DSG2). Genetically-modified mice lacking Dsg2 were examined for islet cell mass, insulin production, responses to glucose, susceptibility to a streptozotocin-induced mouse model of hyperglycaemia, and ability to cure diabetes …