Could boosting glucose metabolism treat diabetic cardiomyopathy?

Investigating a novel mechanism of cardiac glucose metabolism regulation in diabetes

BHF Intermediate Basic Science Research Fellow Dr Wei Liu is studying ways to treat diabetic cardiomyopathy, a condition that can lead to heart failure because the heart doesn’t pump as well as it should. Healthy hearts are fuelled by a combination of fats and glucose. In diabetic cardiomyopathy, this healthy metabolism balance is impaired, and the heart uses more fats and less glucose. Dr Liu recently discovered that diabetic hearts and heart muscle cells have lower levels of a protein called extracellular signal regulated protein kinase 5 (ERK5). Genes that control glucose uptake in heart muscle cells are known to be boosted by ERK5. In this project, Dr Liu is investigating the role of ERK5 in diabetic cardiomyopathy and glucose metabolism. She is working out exactly what ERK5 does in the heart in diabetes, and whether ERK5 can control glucose metabolism. This research will help us understand the causes of diabetic cardiomyopathy, and if ERK5 could be a new target in protecting the hearts of people with diabetes.