Month: November 2025

The presence of macrophages surrounding lipotoxic tubular epithelial cells (TECs) is a hallmark of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Nevertheless, the mechanisms of communication between these cell types are not well understood. Previous studies have revealed a unique subset of macrophages that express triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (Trem2) in kidneys of human patients and […]

Postbariatric hypoglycemia (PBH) is a serious complication of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), characterized by severe hypoglycemia that may lead to loss of consciousness and seizures. The exact mechanism of PBH is poorly understood. One potential mechanism is β-cell expansion. To this end, we investigated β-cell mass in individuals with and without PBH after RYGB using […]

An intrinsic hallmark of type 1 diabetes is the correlation between appearance of autoantibodies directed against islet cell autoantigens with subsequent development of the disease. We recently studied effects of human monoclonal autoantibodies (mAbs) derived from a patient with prediabetes and demonstrated that a GAD65mAb penetrated and accumulated in β-cells and significantly reduced the insulin […]

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) progression involves NIMA-related kinase 7 (NEK7)–driven podocyte pyroptosis, with hyperglycemia-induced O-GlcNAcylation as a key posttranslational regulator. This study elucidates how O-GlcNAc modification governs NEK7 stability and its pathological role. We used clinical DKD specimens, high-glucose–stimulated podocytes, and streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice to first examine NEK7, O-GlcNAc, O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT), and glutamine fructose-6-phosphate […]

Somatostatin is a powerful inhibitor of insulin secretion and β-cell electrical activity, but the effects are weak in intact islets, possibly because of high intraislet somatostatin levels. We used optogenetics in conjunction with hormone secretion measurements, electrophysiology, and cytoplasmic free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) imaging to interrogate the relative roles of paracrine and electrical control of […]

Diabetes currently affects ∼37 million adults in the U.S. and 537 million people worldwide, with type 2 diabetes (T2D) accounting for 90%–95% of the diabetes burden. The transition from normal glucose regulation (NGR) to T2D is via an intermediate stage of prediabetes, characterized by impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). Prediabetes affects […]

Adipocyte size is linked to insulin resistance and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. We aimed to generate a surrogate method to estimate adipocyte size by measuring adipose tissue gene expression using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), which could be used alongside systemic measures of insulin sensitivity to predict type 2 diabetes risk. We examined […]

The hypothalamus monitors blood glucose levels and regulates glucose production in the liver. In response to hypoglycemia, glucose-inhibited (GI) neurons trigger counterregulatory responses (CRRs), which stimulate the release of glucagon, epinephrine, and cortisol to elevate blood glucose. Recurrent hypoglycemia (RH), however, reduces the effectiveness of these CRRs. This study examined the role of hypothalamic prostaglandins […]

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk begins increasing years before the clinical onset of type 2 diabetes, driven in part by ectopic lipid accumulation. Many individuals predisposed to diabetes often gain weight rapidly and have limited capacity to expand subcutaneous fat, leading to central fat storage and ectopic lipid deposition—especially in the liver. Hepatic fat contributes […]