Publications by authors named "Dana Al Rijjal"

Glucose tolerance test and glucose stimulated insulin secretion are important measures to determine glucose homeostasis and islet function and assess diabetes. Here, we provide a protocol where glucose tolerance test is used to study glucose homeostasis and insulin secretion in vivo, followed by islet isolation and glucose stimulated insulin secretion to determine islet function ex vivo. This protocol enables evaluation of glucose homeostasis and islets in mice which can also be applied to rat, beta cell lines and human studies.

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Omega-3 fatty acid prescription drugs, Vascepa (≥96% eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA] ethyl ester) and Lovaza (46.5% EPA and 37.5% docosahexaenoic acid ethyl ester) are known therapeutic regimens to treat hypertriglyceridemia.

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A number of diverse G-protein signaling pathways have been shown to regulate insulin secretion from pancreatic β-cells. Accordingly, regulator of G-protein signaling (RGS) proteins have also been implicated in coordinating this process. One such protein, RGS4, is reported to show both positive and negative effects on insulin secretion from β-cells depending on the physiologic context under which it was studied.

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GWAS have shown that the common R325W variant of SLC30A8 (ZnT8) increases the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, ZnT8 haploinsufficiency is protective against T2D in humans, counterintuitive to earlier work in humans and mouse models. Therefore, whether decreasing ZnT8 activity is beneficial or detrimental to β cell function, especially under conditions of metabolic stress, remains unknown.

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AI integration in plant-based traditional medicine could be used to overcome drug discovery challenges.

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Approximately, 35% of women with Gestational Diabetes (GDM) progress to Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) within 10 years. However, links between GDM and T2D are not well understood. We used a well-characterised GDM prospective cohort of 1035 women following up to 8 years postpartum.

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Aims/hypothesis: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) affects up to 20% of pregnancies, and almost half of the women affected progress to type 2 diabetes later in life, making GDM the most significant risk factor for the development of future type 2 diabetes. An accurate prediction of future type 2 diabetes risk in the early postpartum period after GDM would allow for timely interventions to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. In addition, new targets for interventions may be revealed by understanding the underlying pathophysiology of the transition from GDM to type 2 diabetes.

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γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) administration has been shown to increase β-cell mass, leading to a reversal of type 1 diabetes in mice. Whether GABA has any effect on β cells of healthy and prediabetic/glucose-intolerant obese mice remains unknown. In the present study, we show that oral GABA administration ( ad libitum) to mice indeed increased pancreatic β-cell mass, which led to a modest enhancement in insulin secretion and glucose tolerance.

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Aim: Omega-3 fatty acid ethyl ester supplements, available by prescription, are common in the treatment of dyslipidaemia in humans. Recent studies show that 3-carboxy-4-methyl-5-propyl-2-furanpropanoic acid (CMPF), a metabolite formed from fish oil supplementation, was able to prevent and reverse high fat diet (HFD)-induced fatty liver in mice. In the present study, we investigated the underlying molecular mechanisms responsible for CMPF's hepatic lipid-lowering effects.

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Specific circulating metabolites have emerged as important risk factors for the development of diabetes. The acylcarnitines (acylCs) are a family of metabolites known to be elevated in type 2 diabetes (T2D) and linked to peripheral insulin resistance. However, the effect of acylCs on pancreatic β-cell function is not well understood.

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