Zooming in on Diabetes Journal Club January 21, 2021
Zooming in on Diabetes Thursday, January 21 at 9:00 am (PST)
Presenter: Dr Jia Zhao, Post-Doctoral Fellow, Kieffer Laboratory, Life Sciences Institute, UBC Vancouver
Title: A Nutrient-Sensing Transition at Birth Triggers Glucose-Responsive Insulin Secretion
Citation: Cell Metab. 2020 May 5;31(5):1004-1016.e5. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2020.04.004.
Abstract: A drastic transition at birth, from constant maternal nutrient supply in utero to intermittent postnatal feeding, requires changes in the metabolic system of the neonate. Despite their central role in metabolic homeostasis, little is known about how pancreatic β cells adjust to the new nutritional challenge. Here, we find that after birth β cell function shifts from amino acid- to glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in correlation with the change in the nutritional environment. This adaptation is mediated by a transition in nutrient sensitivity of the mTORC1 pathway, which leads to intermittent mTORC1 activity. Disrupting nutrient sensitivity of mTORC1 in mature β cells reverts insulin secretion to a functionally immature state. Finally, manipulating nutrient sensitivity of mTORC1 in stem cell-derived β cells in vitro strongly enhances their glucose-responsive insulin secretion. These results reveal a mechanism by which nutrients regulate β cell function, thereby enabling a metabolic adaptation for the newborn.
PMID: 32375022
URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1550413120301868
“Zooming in on Diabetes” is a virtual journal club and was launched in March 2020.
It is a joint initiative across the University of British Columbia campuses including the Life Sciences Centre and the BC Children’s Hospital.
This Journal Club is designed for trainees to develop skills in critical evaluation of recent articles in the scientific literature related to diabetes research.
The intended audience are academic research trainees and faculty involved in diabetes research in British Columbia, Canada.
The journal club is held on Tuesdays and Thursdays via ZOOM.