Fish Insulin Discovery A Breakthrough
In Diabetes Treatment
Scientists here have zeroed in on a new
source of insulin in fish that mimics human insulin
more closely than any known animal source -- porcine
or bovine -- currently in use.
Biologists at the Indian Institute of Chemical
Biology (IICB) struck upon the 'biologically active'
insulin in fat cells of catla fish as a natural
alternative to human pancreatic beta cell insulin.
"This new insulin is highly active and has
shown greater biological activity than porcine
insulin in rat models," IICB Director and
leader of the study group Dr Samir Bhattacharya
said.
In their search for an alternative source of
natural insulin, the eight-member team with researchers
from IICB, Visva Bharati University's Zoology
department and Japan's Gunma University, found
that adipocytes (fat cells) from a carp can express
the insulin gene and secrete immunoreactive insulin,
which they have christened 'AdpInsl'.
"We found high amount of immunoreactive
insulin in carp plasma even though there were
no islet tissues, considered a pre-requisite for
secretion of insulin," Bhattacharya said.
Experimenting on rats and hamsters made diabetic
with a hyperglycemic agent, the team found that
injecting the carp adipocyte extract significantly
reduced their blood glucose levels
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Did YOU KNOW:
The early addition of insulin when maximal sulfonylurea
therapy fails to keep fasting blood glucose levels
below 108 mg/dL. can significantly improve glycemic
control without increasing weight gain or hypoglycemic
episodes. UK Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS)
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