WellChild Research Projects

The role of the Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Response in the development of diabetes in Wolfram syndrome

Lead researcher: Professor Tim Barrett, Diabetes Unit, Birmingham Children’s Hospital

Grant award sum: £119,263

Duration: June 2007 - May 2010

Synopsis: Diabetes leads to the death of cells in the pancreas which produce insulin. One way these cells die is called ‘ER stress’ and this is thought to cause two forms of childhood diabetes. In one of these, called Wolfram syndrome, pancreatic cells die, but it is not known how the Wolfram protein (Wolframin) works to maintain these cells.

So far the researchers have identified potential proteins that interact with Wolframin and that give them a clue to its function.

The researchers aim to find how ER stress works to cause diabetes. They hope that if they can identify the mechanism, they may find new drug targets that may be useful in commoner types of diabetes too.  In theory understanding ER stress may benefit all the people with diabetes, not just those children with Wolfram syndrome.