Published in:
01-02-2010
Cholesterol in β-cell Dysfunction: The Emerging Connection Between HDL Cholesterol and Type 2 Diabetes
Authors:
Liam R. Brunham, Janine K. Kruit, Michael R. Hayden, C. Bruce Verchere
Published in:
Current Diabetes Reports
|
Issue 1/2010
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Abstract
β-cell dysfunction is a critical step in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. The mechanisms responsible for β-cell death and dysfunction remain incompletely understood, but include glucolipotoxicity, the deleterious metabolic milieu created by high plasma concentrations of glucose and lipid species. Recently, an important role has emerged for cholesterol in this process. In this article, we review recent advances in our understanding of the role of ABCA1 and cholesterol metabolism in β-cell function, with particular attention to insights gained from human studies.