Mody 2 (Paperback)

High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles MODY 2 is a form of maturity onset diabetes of the young. MODY 2 is due to any of several mutations in the GCK gene on chromosome 7 for glucokinase. Glucokinase serves as the glucose sensor for the beta cell. Normal glucokinase triggers insulin secretion as the glucose exceeds about 90 mg/dl (5 mM). These loss-of-function mutations result in a glucokinase molecule that is less sensitive or less responsive to rising levels of glucose. The beta cells in MODY 2 have a normal ability to make and secrete insulin, but do so only above an abnormally high threshold (e.g., 126-144 mg/dl, or 7-8 mM). This produces chronic, mild hyperglycemia which is usually asymptomatic. It is usually detected by accidental discovery of mild hyperglycemia (e.g., during pregnancy screening). An oral glucose tolerance test is much less abnormal than would be expected from the impaired (elevated) fasting glucose, since insulin secretion is usually normal once the glucose has exceeded the threshold for that specific variant of the glucokinase enzyme. It can usually be controlled by dietary measures (primarily avoiding large amounts of carbohydrate).