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OSA - Pancreas Beta Cell Death

Posted by RollingThunder on April 02, 2008 at 16:35:03:

Hello,

Does anybody know more about this;

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Intermittent Hypoxia Causes Pancreatic Beta Cell Death
January 4th, 2008

Louisville Kentucky - Researchers at the University of Louisville, School of Medicine have found in animal models that intermittent hypoxia caused 3 times more pancreatic beta cell death and insulin resistance, which significantly increases the risk for developing to type II diabetes.

Intermittent hypoxia is the typical symptom of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), a condition characterized by repeated episodes of upper airway obstruction during sleep. It affects 2-5 % of the general population. Individuals with severe OSAS can suffer from 30 or more episodes of airway collapse and apnea per hour. Resultant episodic hypoxia may be severe, with hemoglobin oxygen saturations reaching the nadir of instrument sensitivity. These episodes result in sleep fragmentation and sleep deprivation.

Dr. Jianxiang Xu, working in Professor Paul N. Epstein diabetes lab, University of Louisville, just finished this research project and found the link between intermittent hypoxia and pancreatic beta cell death. His study began from 24 hours continuous intermittent hypoxia treatment of normal FVB mice for 4 days and found that pancreatic beta cell (the only cell type producing insulin) proliferation increased 4 times, compared to control group, at the same time beta cell death also increased 3 times. Insulin resistance was observed in these intermittent hypoxia treated mice. However when mice were alternatively treated 12 hours cycle 9 days which mimicked human obstructive sleep apnea, the beta cell proliferation phenomena disappeared, even worse was that beta cell proliferation reduced to just 1/3 of normal, while beta cell death still increased over 3 times.

Further study by transgenic mice expressing antioxidant-MnSOD in pancreas beta cell indicated that beta cell death was caused by oxidative stress/ROS and through mitochondrial pathway. Thus, Dr. Xu’s research demonstrates that the reduction in beta cell proliferation, and with the concomitant increased cell death, raises the possibility that beta cell insulin reserves may decline in patients with sleep apnea and ultimately lead to diabetes incidence.

Diabetes is a worsening disease in the USA and other countries, while other diseases, such as cardiovascular and carcinoma diseases are gradually decreasing. Although the link between obstructive sleep apnea/intermittent hypoxia and beta cell death was found, more studies will continue, such as the long-term intermittent hypoxia effect and glucose homeostasis change.

Jianxiang Xu, Ph.D.
Kosair Children’s Hospital Research Institute
Department of Pediatrics
University of Louisville
570 S. Preston ST
Baxter I Bldg, Suite 304
Louisville, KY 40202
j0xu0006@louisville.edu
Copyright: Medical News Today



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