3 March DRC Director's Report - March 2022 March 3, 2022 By The Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center DRC, FOEDRC, Iowa, Diabetes, Diabetes Research Center 0 Recently the International Journal of Science featured important research by a member of the FOEDRC, Ayotunde Dokun, MD, PhD, Director of the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism and his team. Peripheral arterial disease is the narrowing or blockage of the vessels that supply blood to lower extremities. This disease affects millions of individuals with diabetes and is considered a major complication of diabetes which often lead to limb amputation. How diabetes contributes to the increased risk of limb amputation in individuals with peripheral arterial disease is poorly understood. We know that peripheral arterial disease complications are different in people with type 1 versus type 2 diabetes. Therefore, it is very likely that these two forms of diabetes affect worsening of peripheral arterial disease through different processes. We know that a protein called disintegrin and metalloproteinase gene 12 (ADAM12) is expressed at high levels in cells lining the blood vessels where there is poor blood flow. ADAM12 plays a key role in the ability to restore blood flow to limbs when there is blockage of blood vessels. Much less is known about how ADAM12 expression is increased or regulated in areas of poor blood flow. In our previous work, we showed that under normal conditions where there is no diabetes the levels of a small ribonucleic acid (RNA) called miR-29a must go down for ADAM12 expression to go up which then helps restore blood flow when there is blockage of blood vessel. In our most recent study, we found that following blockage of blood flow in type 2 diabetic limbs miR-29a levels does not go down which prevents increased expression of ADAM12 leading to poor blood flow recovery. We also found that treatment of mice with type 2 diabetes with an inhibitor of miR-29a improved ADAM12 expression and resulted in improved blood flow recovery, reduced skeletal muscle injury and improved muscle function. Importantly, we showed similar improvements if we augment ADAM12 expression directly by gene transfer. Therefore, our result has identified a way to possibly improve blood flow to limbs in type 2 diabetes by treating with inhibitors of miR-29a or by augmentation of ADAM12 expression. Related Articles DRC Director's Report - July 2022 Recently, the University of Iowa Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center (FOEDRC) held our annual Diabetes Research Day in collaboration with the University of Minnesota Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism. This year, Diabetes Research Day was a hybrid event comprised of speakers from both institutions and split into two different events. Our first keynote speaker was Bryan Bergman, PhD. Professor in the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus who gave a talk entitled Intermuscular Adipose Tissue: A Novel Adipose Depot Impacting Muscle Strength, Size, and Insulin Sensitivity in Humans. DRC Director's Report - March 2019 Brian T. O’Neill, MD, PhD, assistant professor in the Division of Endocrinology in the Department of Internal Medicine and member of the FOEDRC recently published in the journal Diabetes the discovery that FoxO proteins, which are transcription factors that regulate DNA, are the critical regulators of diabetes-related muscle atrophy. DRC Director's Report - September 2022 Over the past decade, evidence has emerged indicating that high blood sugars in type 1 diabetes cause adverse brain changes in children. The adverse changes include abnormal brain structural alterations and reduced functioning on some cognitive tests. Over the past few years, hybrid closed-loop insulin pumps have become commercially available. These devices combine a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) with an insulin pump that is controlled by an algorithm that uses the CGM data to inform insulin delivery. DRC Director's Report - March 2021 This month, the Spring 2021 issue of the Iowa Magazine devoted its cover and featured the University of Iowa Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center (FOEDRC). The heartwarming article shares real life testimonies of diabetic individuals, cared for at the University of Iowa and the impact of diabetes on their daily life. The desire for relief is real and certainly not lost on physicians and scientists at the FOEDRC. The Center’s mission is to improve the lives of individuals with the disease and find a cure. Every day dedicated FOEDRC scientists conduct a wide range of research projects to improve and benefit the lives of many. DRC Director's Report - May 2022 Obesity causes a buildup of fat metabolites, including a toxic lipid molecule ceramide. Buildup of ceramide worsens health because it contributes to the development of diabetes and other diseases. Previous work has shown that targeting ceramide is an effective strategy to treat obesity, diabetes and associated cardiovascular disease. This can be achieved using a molecule called myriocin which is a very potent inhibitor of ceramide generation. Myriocin-mediated reduction of ceramide levels was found to be an effective way to treat obesity and associated diseases in rodents. Myriocin, which is not approved for use in humans, is abundant in a number of fungal species including the one called Cordyceps which is routinely consumed as part of traditional Chinese medicine used for the treatment of numerous diseases including diabetes. DRC Director's Report - June 2022 On May 24, 2022, Fraternal Order of Eagles members joined the University of Iowa President, College of Medicine Executive Dean, faculty, staff and students for an investiture ceremony honoring three Carver of College of Medicine faculty. Showing 0 Comment Comments are closed.