67 Spontaneous cardiac hypertrophy and adverse LV remodelling in a novel human relevant mouse model of diabetes; a mechanistic insight

Heart failure (HF) is one of the commonest cardiovascular complications of Diabetes Mellitus (DM) with the prevalence of DM reported at around 30% in many pivotal heart failure studies. DM is an independent predictor of mortality in patients with HF, however molecular mechanisms that contribute to HF development in the diabetic population are poorly understood. Using a novel human relevant mouse model of DM (GENA348), identified through the MRC mouse mutagenesis programme with a point mutation in the pancreatic glucokinase (GLK) gene we investigate the molecular mechanisms that contribute to the HF phenotype in DM. GLK is the glucose sensor which regulates insulin secretion and GLK activity is reduced by 90% by the GENA348 point mutation resulting in severe hyperglycaemia. Similar mutations underlie Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young Type 2 (MODY 2) in humans. Mean random blood glucose was found to be increased in the GENA348 mutant (HO) mice compared to wild type (WT) littermates (WT 6.9±0.3 mmol/l vs HO 20.6±0.8 mmol/l, p