Role of sleep in methylglyoxal detoxification and diabetes

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Aurelio A. Teleman
• Subject Area: Endocrinology, Diabetology, Metabolism
• Term: from 2010 to 2014
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 186378826

• Final Report Year: 2014

Final Report Abstract

Reactive metabolites such as methylglyoxal (MG) are produced by cells as they metabolize glucose. This reactive metabolite can directly modify proteins in the cell, thereby impairing their function and causing cell damage. This project studied the organismal effects of elevating MG levels in vivo. We generated flies mutant for an enzyme responsible for detoxifying MG, called Glyoxalase 1, and studied the physiological consequences of this mutation.