Scientists in California have developed a way to modify insulin that may allow diabetics to store the sugar-processing hormone in their bodies until it is needed.
People with type 1, or insulin-dependent, diabetes produce little or no insulin, a hormone that regulates the amount of sugar in the blood. To maintain healthy levels of blood sugar, they must take insulin, often by injection. Another option is to use an insulin pump, a device implanted in the body that provides a continuous supply of the hormone.
Researchers are working on an insulin delivery technique that could one day provide a more convenient way for people with diabetes to maintain their blood sugar levels.
The researchers modified insulin so that it is dormant until activated by 38C2, a type of protein called a catalytic aldolase antibody. The idea is that a diabetic person could take insulin, which would then be stored in the body until a drug containing the antibody activated the hormone.
In laboratory tests, the altered form of insulin was much less effective at processing sugar. The modified insulin was 90% less likely to bind to insulin receptors. And its ability to process sugar was reduced by 96%.
But when the researchers added the antibody, the properties of the modified insulin were restored to normal. When the researchers tested the system in rats, they achieved similar results.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences November 20, 2001;98:13514-13518
I continuously marvel at the ability of science to come up with such amazing technical discoveries. It is sad that they don't have some philosophical advisory board that they need to consult before they conduct their research.
Although this is a novel discovery, it is an absolute dead end. There is no possible way that a drug approach could be effective for type one diabetes.
The solution clearly involves the release of insulin tied to a sophisticated biofeedback system that releases the insulin in response to a regularly monitored blood sugar level.
The type of research documented above is only designed to further the coffers of the drug companies with virtually no benefit to the consumer.
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