Gene expression inhibitor drug made mice (STZ induced) diabetes resistant

Researchers from North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System in Manhasset, N.Y. have identified a gene which expresses as a protein called macrophage migration inhibitory factor, or MIF. MIF is found in unusually high concentration in diabetics. It apparently has a role in destroying pancreatic beta cells.

The exciting news is that mice when given a drug to inhibit the expression of this gene and then subsequently treated with streptozotocin(STZ), a chemical used to artifically create diabetes in experimental subjects, failed to exhibit symptoms of diabetes!

This is significant because STZ is normally used to induce diabetes in healthy subjects and STZ induced diabetics show identical physiological symptoms as any other diabetic. This is the reason several diabetes experiments are carried out with STZ induced diabetic subjects (read nude mice). If this experiment is validated against higher primates and finally humans then we may have a drug based therapy to prevent diabetes.

The burning question however is the difference between STZ induced diabetes and natural diabetes and how much the results are transferable. It has already been shown that they are not identical.

Source: LA Times