New thesis on studies of apolipoprotein CIII in diabetes

Karin Åvall from the research group Signal Transduction will defend her thesis "In vivo and in vitro studies of apolipoprotein CIII in diabetes" on September 15, 2017. Main Supervisor is Professor Lisa Juntti-Berggren.

What's the main focus of your thesis?

My thesis is focused on a protein called apolipoprotein CIII (apoCIII) and how that is involved in the development and progression of diabetes.

Which are the most important results?

We have found that apoCIII is produced locally in the pancreatic islets and it increases in parallel with the development of insulin resistance and type-2 diabetes in mice. Preventing this increase in apoCIII maintains a normal islet function.

High fat diet (HFD) increases apoCIII and leads to obesity, insulin resistance and type-2 diabetes. By preventing the increase, or reducing the levels of apoCIII in already obese animals, this metabolic phenotype can be normalized, despite continuing on HFD. This is not due to decreased food intake or increased activity, but lower levels of apoCIII results in a more efficient clearance of lipoproteins from the circulation in combination with an activation of brown adipose tissue.

How can this new knowledge contribute to the improvement of people’s health?

The knowledge that apoCIII is produced within the pancreatic islets and that preventing an increase preserves islet function can be used in the development of new drugs

Obesity and diabetes are two of the main health challenges world-wide. Therefore it is of importance to further investigate if it is possible to prevent and/or reverse these conditions by, in a safe-way, lowering the levels of apoCIII.

What are your future ambitions?

After my dissertation I will continue to work within the field of diabetes and metabolic diseases at Astra Zeneca in Gothenburg.

Dissertation

Friday September 15th 2017 at 09:00

Thesis

In vivo and in vitro studies of apolipoprotein CIII in diabetes