Proteome Analysis—A Novel Approach to Understand the Pathogenesis of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is associated with a specific destruction of the insulin-producing beta-cells in the islets of Langerhans. Several factors, e.g. genetic, environmental and immunologial, may be involved in the etiology and pathogenesis of T1DM. Autoreactive Tand B-...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Allan E. Karlsen, Thomas Sparre, Karin Nielsen, Jørn Nerup, Flemming Pociot
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Hindawi Limited 2001-01-01
Series:Disease Markers
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2001/202814
Description
Summary:Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is associated with a specific destruction of the insulin-producing beta-cells in the islets of Langerhans. Several factors, e.g. genetic, environmental and immunologial, may be involved in the etiology and pathogenesis of T1DM. Autoreactive Tand B-lymphocytes, together with macrophages infiltrate the islets during the pathogenesis, releasing a mixture of cytokines, demonstrated to be specifically toxic to the beta-cells within the islets. Our goal is to understand the molecular mechanisms responsible for the beta-cell specific toxicity enabling us to design novel intervention strategies in T1DM. The proteome approach allows us to get a detailed picture of the beta-cell proteins, which change expression level or are post-translationally modified in different in vitro and in vivo models of T1DM-associated beta-cell destruction. Combining the information obtained from this extended proteome approach, with that of genetic-, transcriptome- and candidategene approaches, we believe that it is possible to reach this goal.
ISSN:0278-0240
1875-8630