Investigating Sex Differences In Beta Cell Calcium Handling

MRC：Lydia Daniels Gatward：MR/N013700/1糖尿病是一种影响大约10%的人口的疾病，它是由无法调节血糖水平引起的。糖尿病存在性别差异；与女性相比，男性2型糖尿病的发病率更高，这种影响在绝经后就会消失。血糖水平通常由胰腺中的β细胞释放的胰岛素严格控制，这一过程涉及钙信号。这些细胞中钙信号的失调扰乱了胰岛素的释放，并与糖尿病的发展有关。考虑到糖尿病患者的性别差异，以及其他组织在钙处理方面的性别差异，我们想要调查β细胞中是否存在性别差异。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分离的β细胞中两个主要钙储存室中的钙信号。更详细地了解这些途径有助于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.