Investigating Sex Differences In Beta Cell Calcium Handling

糖尿病是一种影响约10%人口的疾病，由无法调节血糖水平引起。糖尿病存在性别差异；与女性相比，男性患2型糖尿病的几率更高，这种影响在绝经后就消失了。血糖水平通常受到胰腺β细胞释放胰岛素的严格控制，这一过程涉及钙信号。这些细胞中的钙信号失调会破坏胰岛素的释放，并与糖尿病的发生有关。考虑到糖尿病的性别差异以及其他组织在钙处理方面存在性别差异，我们想研究β细胞中钙处理是否存在性别差异。为此，我们计划使用最先进的成像技术来研究从非糖尿病和糖尿病雄性和雌性小鼠中分离的β细胞中两个主要钙储存室中的钙信号传导。更详细地了解这些途径可以帮助确定在选择糖尿病治疗方法时是否应该更仔细地考虑患者的性别。

MRC : Lydia Daniels Gatward : MR/N013700/1Diabetes is a disease affecting around 10% of the population which is caused by an inability to regulate blood glucose levels. Sex differences exist in diabetes; men have increased incidence of type 2 diabetes compared to women, an effect which is lost after the menopause. Blood glucose levels are normally tightly controlled by insulin release from beta cells in the pancreas, a process which involves calcium signalling. Dysregulated calcium signalling in these cells disrupts insulin release and has been associated with the development of diabetes. Considering the sex differences in diabetes and findings that other tissues show sex differences in calcium handling, we want to investigate whether sex differences exist in calcium handling in beta cells. To do this, we plan to use state-of-the-art imaging technology to study calcium signalling in two of the main calcium storage compartments in beta cells isolated from non-diabetic and diabetic male and female mice. Understanding these pathways in more detail could help determine whether the sex of the patient should be more carefully considered when choosing treatments for diabetes.