News Brief by Ming Lin
Researchers
at the UC Davis Health System have discovered the specific molecular
mechanism that is involved with the link between diabetes and heart
disease. This pathway is activated when cardiac arrhythmia, or
irregular heartbeats, is caused by high blood sugar levels and may
result in heart failure. The study, led by Donald Bers and his team,
indicated that high blood glucose levels caused O-GlcNAc, a sugar
molecule in heart muscle cells, to bind to CaMKII, a protein kinase
that regulates normal calcium levels and heart pumping activity. The
interaction between these two molecules leads to the over-activation
of CaMKII and triggers cardiac arrhythmias. Experiments in which
CaMKII or its binding with O-GlcNAc was inhibited indicated that
irregular heart rhythms were prevented. The discovery of this
biological pathway gives the potential for the development of
additional treatment options for diabetic patients, especially those
affected by cardiovascular disease and glucose toxicity in their
tissues. More information about this study, titled "Diabetic
Hyperglycaemia Activates CaMKII and Arrhythmias by O-Linked
Glycosylation," can be found online at http://www.nature.com/nature.
Reference: UC Davis Health System. "UC Davis Researchers Discover a Biological Link between Diabetes and Heart Disease." UC Davis Health System News. UC Davis Health System, 29 Sept. 2013. Web. 10 Oct. 2013.
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