A "Kit" for increasing insulin production

The critical role of a receptor called c-Kit in the development and function of insulin-producing beta cells, has been identified by scientists from Western University in London, Canada, and the Children's Health Research Institute, an Institute within the Lawson Health Research Institute, making it an exciting therapeutic target for the management of diabetes.

The research, led by Rennian Wang, demonstrated that over-expression of c-Kit not only leads to increased insulin production but also counteracts the early diabetic effects of a high-fat diet. The paper and an accompanying commentary, are published in the August issue of Diabetologia, and featured in the Research Highlights in Nature Reviews Endocrinology.

Diabetes is one of the most common metabolic diseases affecting over 25 million Americans and 2 million Canadians. It is associated with a multitude of complications leading to considerable morbidity and a major medical as well as financial burden on society.