Glucose can wreck your Beta Cells - Its Destiny

Love those dramatic titles! Anyway, new study on Carbohydrate response element-binding protein (ChREBP).

ChREBP is basically gene expression induced by carbohydrate consumption, Lucas Tufar has blogged about it here, I say destiny in the title because nuclear receptor binding is inevitable. ( aslong as your not some kind of freakish mutant ) Nuclear receptor binding is the definition of gene expression, and ChREBP is involved right at the nuclear level, right next to your DNA.

• ChREBP activates downstream target genes, including fatty acid synthase
• leading to lipid accumulation, increased oxidative stress, reduced insulin gene transcription/secretion
• and enhanced apoptosis ( wweeeeeeee, self-destructing beta cells is good for your health )
  
• beta cell-specific Chrebp overexpression is sufficient to phenocopy glucotoxicity

All of this is irrelevant ofcourse because we all know the problem is too much dietary fat.