PAX6 and type 2 diabetes mellitus: More importantly, expression of PAX6-AS1 was substantially (4- to 5-fold) increased in islets from donors with T2D (Hba1c ≥ 6.5% or fasting glucose ≥126 mg/dL) vs. normoglycemic donors (n = 11–5, p < 0.01) (Figure 1I).