Does sustained production of spliced X-box binding protein 1 ( XBP1 ) induce pancreatic beta cell dysfunction and apoptosis?
XBP1 has a distinct inhibitory role in beta cell as compared with other cell types. Prolonged XBP1s production hampers beta cell function via inhibition of insulin, Pdx1 and Mafa expression, eventually leading to beta cell apoptosis.
Occurrence of HZ and progression to PHN adds extra burden on top of pharmacological treatment and impaired quality of life, especially in older patients who already have health problems to cope with in everyday life.