Betatrophin--promises fading and lessons learned

Klaus H Kaestner

doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2014.11.016

Betatrophin--promises fading and lessons learned

Cell Metab. 2014 Dec 2;20(6):932-3. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2014.11.016.

Author

Klaus H Kaestner¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Genetics and Institute for Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. Electronic address: kaestner@mail.med.upenn.edu.

Abstract

The discovery of a potent mitogen for insulin-producing pancreatic β cells, optimistically termed "betatrophin," excited researchers and laypeople alike, promising a new therapeutic approach to diabetes. A recent "Matters Arising" report by Gusarova and colleagues (2014) places serious doubts on whether "betatrophin" plays any major role in β cell replication.

Publication types

Comment

MeSH terms

Angiopoietins / metabolism*
Animals
Insulin-Secreting Cells / cytology*
Male

Substances

Angiopoietins

Grants and funding

R01 DK088383/DK/NIDDK NIH HHS/United States