Dyrk1a haploinsufficiency induces diabetes in mice through decreased pancreatic beta cell mass.

Aims/hypothesis Growth factors and nutrients are important regulators of pancreatic beta cell mass and function. However, the signalling pathways by which these factors modulate these processes have not yet been fully elucidated. DYRK1A (also named minibrain/MNB) is a member of the dual-specificity tyrosine phosphorylation-regulated kinase (DYRK) family that has been conserved across evolution. A significant amount of data implicates DYRK1A in brain growth and function, as well as in neurodegenerative processes in Alzheimer’s disease and Down’s syndrome. We investigated here whether DYRK1A would be an attractive candidate for beta cell growth modulation.