Research Grant

Institution:

King's College London

Recipient:

Prof Peter Jones

Project:

The role of kisspeptin and its receptor GPR54 in pancreatic islet function

Summary:

Kisspeptin (KP) is a recently-discovered molecule that is only found in a few areas of the human body – the hypothalamic area of the brain, the placenta and the pancreas.

One important function of KP in the brain is to control when the process of puberty starts, but the function(s) of KP in the placenta and the pancreas are unknown. We have shown that pancreatic KP is localised to the insulin-secreting ß-cells in islets of Langerhans, and that ß-cells also make receptors for KP, suggesting that KP is made and released with the islet to have a local regulatory effect.

The hypothalamus, placenta and endocrine pancreas are all involved in the long-term regulation of energy balance so we propose that the ß-cell KP is involved in regulating islet function at times of changes in metabolic demand, such as starvation, obesity, pregnancy and Type 2 diabetes.

The project will use existing techniques and reagents to measure the effects of KP on insulin secretion, and on the growth and survival of ß-cells.

Information gained from these studies may identify new ways of modifying islet function (insulin secretion, ß-cell mass) with potential therapeutic applications.

Amount:

£29,878