[Role of IAPP in the pathogenesis and development of NIDDM]

Islet amyloid deposits are the characteristic lesions of the pancreas of the patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). Islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP or amylin) is a 37 amino acid peptide, which was extracted and characterized from islet amyloid deposits in patients with NIDDM. Recent studies and characterization of IAPP cDNA suggest that IAPP is a normal islet hormone and is co-secreted with insulin from islet beta cells of the pancreas. In this paper, we review recent advance of the research for IAPP including our results, and discuss the role of IAPP in the development of NIDDM, and we propose a new type of diabetes, "amyloid diabetes".