NTU Undergraduates' research April 2014 - Biosciences | Page 101

Jacob Sears, Biochemistry, N0361810
The role of Cytokines in the pathogenesis of type-2 diabetes
Abstract

Cytokines are small cell signalling proteins which have been found to have a variety of
immunomodulatory effects on the body. Their role in the pathogenesis of type-2 diabetes has been the
focus of a wide variety of studies since the conception of the idea almost 2 decades ago by JC Pickup et
al. The various different types of cytokine each have slightly differing methods of action on the cellular
response, and can be tissue dependent, having a variety of different effects depending on the tissue type
in question. In type-2 diabetes expression the responsible tissue is commonly adipose and it is the
chronic re-expression of the Acute Phase Response that has been shown to influence many of the
cellular pathways leading to the disease. As a result of this, research into finding treatments for Type-2
diabetes based on preventing or altering the cytokine-mediated immune response are ongoing. The
potential treatments currently under investigation are outlined in this review, along with an analysis of
the literature regarding the mechanisms and roles of cytokines in the disease progression.