The Role of Alternative Splicing in the Differentiation of Pancreatic β cells

Diabetes mellitus is a disorder characterized by glucose dysregulation, often due to pancreatic complications. Qatar has a high prevalence of diabetes with 17% of adults diagnosed by 2018, double the global average. Studies suggest that defects in genes that regulate pancreatic β-cell development can lead to pancreatic diseases, such as diabetes.
Alternative splicing is a mechanism that regulates gene expression during differentiation, and our research has identified previously unreported alternative splicing alterations in genes involved in pancreatic differentiation. These alterations could potentially contribute to the development of pancreatic β-cells, and studying them would provide insight into the pathogenesis of pancreatic diseases. Our project sheds light on the importance of alternative splicing changes in pancreatic differentiation and their impact on pancreatic function and development.