Chronic glucokinase activation

Glucokinase controls blood glucose by acting as a glucose sensor in pancreatic beta cells. Glucokinase activators stimulate insulin secretion and are an attractive therapy for type 2 diabetes. Gill and colleagues have investigated whether sustained activation of glucokinase leads to beta cell exhaustion. They measured gene expression and insulin secretion in rodent islets that had been chronically treated with GKA71, a glucokinase activator. Islets showed increased glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and both insulin content and secretion were significantly improved, reinforcing the therapeutic potential of glucose activators. Gill et al. (2011) Journal of Molecular Endocrinology 47 59-67.

Read the full article at: DOI:10.1530/JME-10-0157.