WITH VITAMIN D AGAINST DIABETES

A specific receptor appears to be a potential therapeutic target in the prevention and treatment of diabetes. This finding could protect against the development of diabetes and counteract the damage to pancreatic cells caused by the progression of the disease.

People who suffer from diabetes are aware of the limitations that their disease has on their quality of life. But this could soon be a thing of the past. Researchers at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) have discovered that maintaining vitamin D receptor (VDR) levels in pancreatic cells can help protect against the development of diabetes and prevent damage caused by the progression of the disease. This receptor could therefore serve as a potential therapeutic target in the prevention and treatment of the disease.

Vitamin D deficiency has already been linked to a higher prevalence of both type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. The disease has been linked to variations in the vitamin D receptor gene. However, the specific involvement of this vitamin receptor in the development of the disease, especially in the β cells, is still unknown. In the new study, the behaviour of the receptor was investigated in mice.

The researchers observed lower VDR expression in the pancreatic islets of mice with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. They also found that the overexpression of VDR in β cells of diabetic mice counteracts the disease. At the same time, they demonstrated that sustained levels of vitamin D receptors in these cells can maintain their mass and function and protect against diabetes.

This could mean that the maintenance of VDR expression could contribute significantly to counteracting damage to β cells and protecting them from the development of the disease. The researchers suggest that in order to achieve positive results, the dosage scheme of vitamin D supplementation must be planned in the absence of a decrease in VDR expression.