Volume 14 Issue 11, November 2018

The neurotransmitter GABA has been shown to induce the transdifferentiation of α-cells into β-cells, restoring normoglycaemia in a mouse model of diabetes mellitus. A recent paper by Amanda Ackermann and colleagues, however, failed to reproduce these findings. Here, we discuss the discrepant findings and propose a systematic approach to solve the controversy.

Transplanting pancreatic islets in immune-isolating capsules might cure type 1 diabetes mellitus while avoiding the immunosuppression that is normally needed to protect transplanted islets from rejection. A recent study demonstrates that allogeneic islets can survive in capsules with improved biocompatibility without immunosuppression in non-human primates, bringing us one step closer to applying this therapy in humans.

Detailed profiles of fluctuations in glucose obtained via continuous glucose monitoring highlight the complexity of glucose regulation and underscore that the definition of type 2 diabetes mellitus as a homogeneous disease is an oversimplistic approximation for a heterogeneous metabolic disorder. Whether better phenotyping would ultimately result in improved interventions and outcomes, however, remains largely unproven.

Intravenous steroid therapy in thyroid eye disease has limitations and is potentially harmful at high doses. A steroid-sparing approach is a reasonable option, but combination therapy must be tested in randomized clinical trials designed to establish the efficacy and the potentially increased risk of adverse effects of combined immunosuppressive treatment.

Inorganic phosphate (P_i) is a vital component of cellular metabolism and the extracellular matrix of the skeleton. In this Review, Sampada Chande and Clemens Bergwitz discuss the metabolic effects of P_i and the consequences of its dysregulation.

Circulating and imaging biomarkers could be useful for the diagnosis of neuroendocrine tumours (NETs). Here, Wouter de Herder and colleagues review the latest research on biomarkers in the NET field and provide clinicians with a comprehensive overview of relevant diagnostic biomarkers.

Small papillary thyroid cancers are considered low risk and account for the majority of incidental thyroid nodules. Here, Tracy S. Wang and Julie A. Sosa discuss the current debates and advances regarding the diagnosis and optimal treatment of differentiated thyroid cancer.