Is human Type 2 diabetes maternally inherited? Insights from an animal model

• Published in: Diabetic medicine 2004-07, Vol.21 (7), p.759-762
• Main Authors: Gill-Randall, R. J., Adams, D., Ollerton, R. L., Alcolado, J. C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Glucose - metabolism; Body Weight; diabetes mellitus; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - genetics; Diabetes. Impaired glucose tolerance; Disease Models, Animal; Endocrine pancreas. Apud cells (diseases); Endocrinopathies; Etiopathogenesis. Screening. Investigations. Target tissue resistance; Female; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Glucose Tolerance Test; Humans; inheritance; Litter Size; Male; Medical sciences; Mothers; Rats; Rats, Wistar; rodent; Sex Factors
• ISSN: 0742-3071; 1464-5491
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1464-5491.2004.01225.x

Aims  Patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus more often report a history of an affected mother than father. However, in the few studies where both parents and offspring have been directly tested, this apparent maternal excess has not been confirmed. Rodent models of diabetes have the advantage that all parents and offspring can undergo glucose tolerance testing at a specific age in adult life. The aim of this study was to gain insights into the inheritance of human Type 2 diabetes by using a rat model. Methods  Goto Kakizaki (GK) rats (a model of Type 2 diabetes) were mated with non‐diabetic Wistar rats. Offspring were produced from 20 GK female vs. Wistar male and 20 Wistar female vs. GK male crosses. Fasting blood glucose was measured at 6 weeks and 3 months of age and an intravenous glucose tolerance test (0.8 g/kg) performed at 6 months of age. Results  Wistar mothers produced litters with almost twice as many viable offspring as GK mothers (14.1 vs. 7.4, P