FRANZ M. MATSCHINSKY, M.D.

Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics

Location: 605B Clinical Research Building
Tel: (215) 898-4365
Fax: (215) 898-2178
Email: matsch@mail.med.upenn.edu

M.D. Ludwig-Maximalian University (1958)

HONORS:
1975-1980
Established Investigator of the American Diabetes Association
1984-2004

Benjamin Rush Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania

1988
The Solomon Berson Lecturer, 13th IDF Congress, Sydney, Australia
1991
The Herman O. Mosenthal Memorial Lecturer, New York, NY
1992
Elliott P. Joslin Medal and Lecturer, Worcester, MA
1995
The Banting Medal and Lecturer, 55th Annual American Diabetes Association Meeting and Scientific Sessions, Atlanta, GA
1996
Paul-Langerhans-Plakette and Lecturer, Diabetes Dreilander-Tagung, Basel, Switzerland
2003
Osamu Hayaishi Honorary Lecturer (IUB), Sendai, Japan
2004
Alberto Sols Honorary Lecturer, Malaga, Spain

EDITORIAL POSITIONS:
1972-1978
Associate Editor, DIABETES
2001-2006

Editor-in-Chief, DIABETES

ACADEMIC POSITIONS:
1971-1978
Professor of Pharmacology, Washington University St. Louis Missouri
1978-present

Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA

1978-1998
Director of Diabetes Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
1984-1993
Chairman of the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

DESCRIPTION OF RESEARCH INTERESTS:

The laboratory investigates the biochemical basis of fuel sensing by pancreatic islet cells, in particular the molecular mechanisms of amino acid, fatty acid and glucose stimulated insulin release. The "glucokinase glucose sensor concept" is central to all these studies. The endocrine, neural and pharmacological modification of fuel stimulated insulin release is another focus of the laboratory. The molecular genetic basis of glucokinase linked hypo-and hyperglycemia syndromes which are caused by more than 200 mutations of the glucokinase (GK) gene in man continue to be a topic of intense interest. A newly discovered class of pharmacological agents called GK activators (GKAs) are studied with recombinant human wildtype and mutant GK, with intact pancreatic islet cells and in the intact animal to assess the therapeutic potential of these agents for the treatment of type II and perhaps type I diabetes.

RECENT REPRESENTATIVE PUBLICATIONS

  1. Sorenson RL, Stout LE, Brelje TC, Jetton T, Matschinsky FM (2007) Immunohistochemical evidence for the presence of glucokinase in the gonadotropes and thyrothropes of the anterior pituitary gland of rat and monkey. J Histochem Cytochem. 55(6):555-66. [Epub 2007 Feb 5. PMID: 17283370].
  2. Pino MF, Kim KA, Shelton KD, Lindner J, Zelent D,Collins HW, Shiota M, Matschinsky FM, Magnuson MA (2007) Mice with targeted missense mutations of glucokinase. Diminished binding of an hyperactive mutant to the regulatory protein attenuates hypoglycemia. J Biol Chem. 282(18):13906-16. [Epub 2007 Mar 12. PMID: 17353190]
  3. Sagen JV, Odili S, Bjorkhaug L, Zelent D, Buettger C, Kwagh J, Stanley C, Dahl-Jorgensen K, de Beaufort C, Bell GI, Han Y, Grimsby J, Taub R, Molven A, Sovik O, Njolstad PR, Matschinsky FM. (2006) From clinicogenetic studies of maturity-onset diabetes of the young to unraveling complex mechanisms of glucokinase regulation. Diabetes 55(6):1713-22.
  4. Doliba NM, Qin W, Vatamaniuk MZ, Buettger CW, Collins HW, Magnuson MA, Wilson D, Carr RD, Matschinsky FM. (2006) Cholinergic regulation of fuel induced hormone secretion and respiration of SUR1-/- mouse islets. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 291:E525-E535 [Epub ahead of print]
  5. Li C, Matter A, Kelly A, Petty TJ, Najafi H, Macmullen C, Daikhin Y, Nissim I, Lazarow A, Kwagh J, Collins HW, Hsu BY, Nissim I, Yudkoff M, Matschinsky FM, Stanley CA. (2006) Effects of a GTP-insensitive mutation of glutamate dehydrogenase on insulin secretion in transgenic mice. J Biol Chem. 281:15064-15072 [Mar 30, Epub ahead of print]
  6. Matschinsky FM, Magnuson MA, Zelent D, Jetton TL, Doliba N, Han Y, Taub R, Grimsby J. (2006) The network of glucokinase-expressing cells in glucose homeostasis and the potential of glucokinase activators for diabetes therapy. Diabetes 55(1):1-12.
  7. Gloyn AL, Odili S, Zelent D, Castleden HAJ, Steele AM, Stride A, Magnuson MA, Lorini R, d'Annunzio G, Stanley CA, Kwagh J, van Schaftingen E, Barbetti F, Han Y, Grimsby J, Taub R, Ellard S, Hattersley AT, and Matschinsky FM (2005) Insights into the structure and regulation of glucokinase from a novel mutation (V62M) which causes maturity-onset diabetes of the young. J. Biol. Chem. 10.1074/jbc.M413146200.
  8. Doliba NM, Qin W, Vatamaniuk MZ, Li C, Zelent D, Najafi H, Buettger CW, Collins HW, Carr RD, Magnuson MA, Matschinsky FM. (2004) Restitution of defective glucose-stimulated insulin release of sulfonylurea type 1 receptor knockout mice by acetylcholine. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 286(5):E834-43. [Epub 2004 Jan 21].
  9. Li C, Buettger C, Kwagh J, Matter A, Daikhin Y, Nissim IB, Collins HW, Yudkoff M, Stanley CA, Matschinsky FM. (2004) A signaling role of glutamine in insulin secretion. J Biol Chem. 279(14):13393-401. [Epub 2004 Jan 20].
  10. Grimsby J, Sarabu R, Corbett WL, Haynes N-E, Bizzarro FT, Coffey JW, Guertin KR, Hilliard DW, Kester RF, Mahaney PE, Marcus L, Qi L, Spence CL, Tengi J, Magnuson MA, Chu CA, Dvorozniak MT, Matschinsky FM, Grippo JF. (2003) Allosteric activators of glucokinase: potential role in diabetes therapy. Science 301: 370-373. (in Reports).