In contrast, upregulation of Dag1, Sirt7 and Shc1 might affect metabolic processes that modulate beta-cell growth, response to stress or insulin signaling.27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 Our data support the concept that molecular changes in immune and stromal cells influence the age of diabetes onset in mice with identical genetic background. The gene discussed is DAG1; the disease is diabetes mellitus.