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S O'Rahilly

Publications and source records attributed to S O'Rahilly.

155 records · Page 9Linked to original sources

Linkage analysis of the human insulin receptor gene in type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetic families and a family with maturity onset diabetes of the young.

The possibility of linkage between the human insulin receptor gene locus and diabetes was examined in three Type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetic families and one family with maturity onset diabetes of the young. Insulin receptor gene haplotypes were established using BglII, Rsal and Sstl restriction enzyme digests of genomic DNA from all available family members. The digested DNA was subjected to agarose gel electrophoresis, Southern blotted, and hybridised to 32P-labelled human insulin receptor gene cDNA. In the pedigree with maturity onset diabetes of the young, formal linkage analysis allowed exclusion of close linkage between the insulin receptor locus and diabetes (logarithm of the odds for linkage versus non-linkage was -5.35 at recombination fraction of 0.01). This confirms the absence of linkage between insulin receptor and diabetes which has been reported in two similar pedigrees. In the three Type 2 diabetic families there were a minimum of 4 recombinants between the insulin receptor locus and diabetes, which makes a direct role for insulin receptor defects unlikely. The importance of using realistic estimates of penetrance when performing linkage analysis in a disease with a late age of onset is emphasised. In contrast to the one previous linkage analysis study of the insulin receptor gene, no specific association of diabetes with the rare Sst1 S1(-) allele was observed in either the maturity onset diabetes of the young or the Type 2 diabetic families.

Adolescent↗

Pathogenesis of NIDDM--a disease of deficient insulin secretion.

Type 2 diabetes is a familial disease and studies of both Caucasian and Japanese families have raised the possibility that a major susceptibility gene is involved. The majority of patients have both beta cell dysfunction and impaired insulin sensitivity but studies of relatives of Type 2 diabetic patients suggest that beta cell dysfunction is an early feature of the disease. Impaired insulin sensitivity, from acromegaly, Cushing's disease or steroid therapy, induces diabetes only in a small proportion of the population, and they may be those who have an inherited cell defect. We postulate that a single beta cell defect gene, on its own, may be insufficient to cause overt diabetes and would lead to life-long glucose intolerance unless associated with other defects such as impaired insulin sensitivity. The nature of such a postulated beta cell defect is uncertain. Whilst it has been reported to be specific to glucose, and not to non-glucose stimuli, this feature may be secondary to hyperglycaemia. The occurrence of islet amyloid in 70-90% of Type 2 diabetic patients, and rarely in the normal population, raises the possibility that amyloid deposition causing disruption of the islet is a factor which might affect beta cell function. Amyloid formation may be a primary abnormality or could be secondary to beta cell dysfunction induced by hyperglycaemia. A major susceptibility gene might predispose a proportion, perhaps 10-15%, of a Caucasian population towards diabetes. The subsequent development of diabetes in a particular patient is likely to depend on many factors including other genetic factors, a sedentary life style and obesity. In different populations different genetic influences may operate, including abnormalities of insulin receptor genes and glucose transporter genes, which may allow a beta cell abnormality to become expressed clinically.

Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2↗

Type II diabetes of early onset: a distinct clinical and genetic syndrome?

The inheritance of non-insulin-dependent (type II) diabetes was studied by a continuous infusion of glucose test in all available first degree relatives of 48 diabetic probands of various ages and with differing severity of disease. In an initial study of 38 type II diabetic subjects and their first degree relatives six islet cell antibody negative patients with early onset disease (aged 25-40 at diagnosis) were found to have a particularly high familial prevalence of diabetes or glucose intolerance. Nine of 10 parents available for study either had type II diabetes or were glucose intolerant. A high prevalence of diabetes or glucose intolerance was also found in their siblings (11/16;69%). In a second study of the families of a further 10 young diabetic probands (presenting age 25-40) whose islet cell antibody state was unknown a similar high prevalence of diabetes or glucose intolerance was found among parents of the five islet cell antibody negative probands (8/9; 89%) but not among parents of the five islet cell antibody positive probands (3/8;38%). Islet cell antibody negative diabetics with early onset type II disease may have inherited a diabetogenic gene or genes from both parents. They commonly need insulin to maintain adequate glycaemic control and may develop severe diabetic complications. Early onset type II diabetes may represent a syndrome in which characteristic pedigrees, clinical severity, and absence of islet autoimmunity make it distinct from either type I diabetes, maturity onset diabetes of the young, or late onset type II diabetes.

Adult↗

Haemolysis affects insulin but not C-peptide immunoassay.

Venous blood was taken at the end of a glucose infusion test in 19 individuals and divided into four aliquots, 3 of which were variably haemolysed by repeated passage through a 23-gauge needle to simulate traumatic venepuncture. Plasma insulin (measured by both a charcoal separation and a double-antibody method), C-peptide, and haemoglobin were measured in each aliquot, and haemolysis was also assessed visibly. A significant loss of immuno-assayable plasma insulin was found in samples with only a trace of visible haemolysis, with up to 90% lost in severely haemolysed samples. Plasma C-peptide was unaffected by haemolysis. This represents an additional advantage for the use of plasma C-peptide in assessing insulin secretion.

C-Peptide↗

Normal calcium-activated potassium channel in red cells in type 2 diabetes.

The diminished insulin secretion of type 2 diabetes might result from abnormal regulation of the potassium permeability which leads to beta-cell depolarization. The possibility of a generalized defect has been investigated in vitro by the stimulation of 86Rb efflux from red cells of type 2 diabetic patients by calcium ionophore and its inhibition by quinine. Diabetic subjects and control subjects had identical 86Rb efflux stimulated by 0.2-0.6 microM calcium ionophore A23187 and identical inhibition by quinine with mean Ki 6 microM and 4 microM quinine respectively for 0.2 microM ionophore and mean Ki 38 microM and 37 microM quinine respectively for 0.6 microM ionophore.

Adult↗

Dominant negative mutations in human PPARgamma associated with severe insulin resistance, diabetes mellitus and hypertension.

Thiazolidinediones are a new class of antidiabetic agent that improve insulin sensitivity and reduce plasma glucose and blood pressure in subjects with type 2 diabetes. Although these agents can bind and activate an orphan nuclear receptor, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma), there is no direct evidence to conclusively implicate this receptor in the regulation of mammalian glucose homeostasis. Here we report two different heterozygous mutations in the ligand-binding domain of PPARgamma in three subjects with severe insulin resistance. In the PPARgamma crystal structure, the mutations destabilize helix 12 which mediates transactivation. Consistent with this, both receptor mutants are markedly transcriptionally impaired and, moreover, are able to inhibit the action of coexpressed wild-type PPARgamma in a dominant negative manner. In addition to insulin resistance, all three subjects developed type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension at an unusually early age. Our findings represent the first germline loss-of-function mutations in PPARgamma and provide compelling genetic evidence that this receptor is important in the control of insulin sensitivity, glucose homeostasis and blood pressure in man.

Adult↗