Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Diabetes missing link discovered
phys.org ^ | December 5, 2016 | Provided by: University of Auckland NZ

Posted on 12/13/2016 2:26:43 PM PST by Red Badger

High-resolution model of six insulin molecules assembled in a hexamer. Credit: Isaac Yonemoto/Wikipedia

===============================================================================================================================

New Zealand researchers have uncovered a new mechanism that controls the release of the hormone insulin in the body, providing hope for those with a genetic susceptibility to type 2 diabetes.

The findings, published today in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, show for the first time that a protein known as beta catenin is crucial for controlling the release of insulin from the pancreas to maintain stable blood sugar levels.

In type 2 diabetes, either the body doesn't produce enough insulin or the cells in the body don't recognise the insulin that is present, leading to high levels of glucose in the blood.

University of Auckland lead researcher Professor Peter Shepherd and his team, including Dr Brie Sorrenson, carried out the study with the support of a $1.2 million project grant from the Health Research Council of New Zealand (HRC).

For this part of the project they focused on a variant in a gene called TCF7L2. This variant has been known to science for about 10 years and is the biggest contributing factor for whether people are genetically susceptible to getting type 2 diabetes or not.

"We wanted to understand what happens in the body's cells that are associated with TCF7L2 and how the processes that go on affect the regulation of glucose metabolism in the body," says Professor Shepherd.

"TCF7L2 binds directly to beta catenin. By observing this interaction, we found that beta catenin levels not only change in response to rising and falling nutrient levels, but that they also regulate how much insulin we have in our body and ensure that we have the right amount of insulin at the right time."

"Scientists have built up a large body of knowledge over the past 15 years about how hormones are released from cells in the body, but this is the first time this mechanism has been associated with the release of insulin," says Professor Shepherd.

"One possible reason for this delay is that beta catenin has in the past been closely associated with cancer, not diabetes.

"Underneath the cell membrane there are layers of fibres called actin. These fibres form networks that somehow bind to insulin," he says.

"Our evidence suggests that beta catenin is controlling these networks of actin fibres and rapidly changing their nature by opening up 'gaps' in the fibre network to either block or allow the release of insulin."

Although this paper focuses specifically on type 2 diabetes, the team's preliminary findings as part of the wider HRC-funded project suggest that the same mechanism also helps control the way insulin functions; the metabolism of glucose in fat cells; and the release of hormones in the brain that control appetite and energy metabolism.

"We think we've identified a much broader mechanism that affects multiple cell types, not just beta cells in our pancreas," says Professor Shepherd.

HRC Chief Executive Professor Kath McPherson says we can't develop new treatments for chronic diseases like diabetes, unless we understand the biology behind them and this is one of the reasons why fundamental scientific research like this is so important.

"Peter and his team have received significant HRC funding over the years to pursue this avenue of research," she says.

"Major outcomes like this highlight the benefits of long-term HRC funding for emerging science in New Zealand. It's hard work finding new mechanisms that contribute to disease – researchers must go down a lot of blind alleys to find them.

"There's a very high payoff in the end in terms of enhancing our understanding of disease and developing potential new treatments," says Professor McPherson.

Between 50 and 60 per cent of people who are susceptible to type 2 diabetes in our current environment have a genetic variant that puts them at higher risk of getting the disease.

"This discovery potentially opens up a whole new drug discovery field to understand how we could manipulate beta catenin levels to control the release of insulin," says Professor Shepherd.

Explore further: New mechanism regulating insulin secretion may explain genetic susceptibility to diabetes

More information: Brie Sorrenson et al. A Critical Role for β-catenin in Modulating Levels of Insulin Secretion from β-cells by Regulating Actin Cytoskeleton and Insulin Vesicle Localization, Journal of Biological Chemistry (2016). DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M116.758516

Journal reference: Journal of Biological Chemistry


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Health/Medicine; Science; Society
KEYWORDS: diabetes; repository
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-35 next last

1 posted on 12/13/2016 2:26:43 PM PST by Red Badger
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Red Badger
Did somebody say "missing link"?


2 posted on 12/13/2016 2:28:53 PM PST by Jeff Chandler (Everywhere is freaks and hairies Dykes and fairies Tell me where is sanity?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Cats can and do cure themselves of diabetes.


3 posted on 12/13/2016 2:29:32 PM PST by BBB333 (The power of TRUMP compels you!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Jeff Chandler

That’s ‘link’ not ‘stink’..................


4 posted on 12/13/2016 2:29:36 PM PST by Red Badger
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Most excellent!


5 posted on 12/13/2016 2:30:08 PM PST by taxcontrol
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

“beta catenin”
==
Is that the one that’s in carrots or does it just sound similar?


6 posted on 12/13/2016 2:32:21 PM PST by LouieFisk
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger
The findings, published today in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, show for the first time that a protein known as beta catenin is crucial for controlling the release of insulin from the pancreas to maintain stable blood sugar levels.

Excellent, excellent news!

7 posted on 12/13/2016 2:33:54 PM PST by Mr Apple
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: LouieFisk

That’s beta carotene...........

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta-Carotene


8 posted on 12/13/2016 2:35:23 PM PST by Red Badger
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: LouieFisk

You’re thinking of beta keratine.


9 posted on 12/13/2016 2:37:03 PM PST by Boogieman
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: LouieFisk

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta-catenin


10 posted on 12/13/2016 2:37:13 PM PST by Red Badger
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

bookmark


11 posted on 12/13/2016 2:42:24 PM PST by Gene Eric (Don't be a statist!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

I’m always dumbfounded at the beauty of these renderings of organic molecules.


12 posted on 12/13/2016 2:47:29 PM PST by pa_dweller (Trump 290, Clinton 232 - The vote heard 'round the world.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: pa_dweller

Proteins - Nature’s curling ribbon...................


13 posted on 12/13/2016 2:50:15 PM PST by Red Badger
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Boogieman

“You’re thinking of beta keratine.”
==
Yup, that’s it - thanks. I coulda googled around but Freepers combined know pretty much everything, so I saved on some surfing.


14 posted on 12/13/2016 2:56:26 PM PST by LouieFisk
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

“In type 2 diabetes, either the body doesn’t produce enough insulin or the cells in the body don’t recognise the insulin that is present, leading to high levels of glucose in the blood. “

Stopped reading right here. In type 1, the pancreas does not manufacture enough or any insulin to regulate blood sugar. In type 2, the insulin receptors in blood cells cease to function.

If they have a fix for type 1 GREAT!
If they have a fix for type 2 GREAT!

“fix” should really be ‘cure’...and that will never happen until there is movement away from healthcare and back toward medicine.

The words cure, prognosis have left the lexicon...

.02
YMMV

KYPD


15 posted on 12/13/2016 2:57:37 PM PST by petro45acp (" It IS About Islam: exposing the truth about ISIS, Al Qaeda, Iran, and the caliphate" by Glenn Beck)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: LouieFisk; Red Badger
This just in...
Beta Max cures diabetes...


16 posted on 12/13/2016 3:01:55 PM PST by DannyTN
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

“That’s beta carotene”
==
Yup. It’s good for the eyes, tho. Ya never see a rabbit wearing glasses.


17 posted on 12/13/2016 3:06:44 PM PST by LouieFisk
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: DannyTN

18 posted on 12/13/2016 3:15:31 PM PST by Neidermeyer (Bill Clinton is a 5 star general in the WAR ON WOMEN and Hillary is his Goebbels.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Jeff Chandler

Yikes


19 posted on 12/13/2016 4:02:28 PM PST by thinden
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: BBB333

I can attest to the validity of that statement. My cat’s BGL would only register as ‘HI’ as late as May of this year. After dietary changes (Blue Buffalo is a Godsend) and a few months of insulin to get his BGL numbers to a normal range, he now tests twice daily as normal. Will not guarantee he is ‘cured’, but will be grateful for this reprieve.

Now, if my sister could go into remission. She’s a Type 2 diabetic. This information is quite encouraging.


20 posted on 12/13/2016 4:10:15 PM PST by bigredkitty1 (March 5, 2010. Rest in peace, sweet boy. I will miss you, Big Red.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-35 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson