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Written By: Editorial Team | Updated : May 26, 2014 4:49 PM IST
Inhibition of a novel enzyme could enhance a signal that promotes insulin secretion and reduces blood sugar levels, a study showed - raising hope of developing better therapeutics against diabetes. Insulin is an important hormone in our body that controls glucose and fat utilisation. The secretion in the blood of insulin is dependent upon the utilisation of glucose and fat by the beta-cells and the production of a novel signal that they discovered named monoacylglycerol .
An enzyme called alpha/beta hydrolase domain-6 (in short ABHD6) breaks down monoacylglycerol and thus negatively controls insulin release, the researchers discovered. Despite significant research on the mechanisms implicated in insulin secretion, the signal molecules involved in this process remained enigmatic; the identification of these signals is necessary to develop better therapeutics against diabetes, said Marc Prentki, a professor at the University of Montreal in Canada. (Read : 10 insulin myths busted!)
When sugar is being used by the insulin secreting pancreatic beta-cell, it produces monoacylglycerol, a fat-like signal and this is associated with insulin release into blood, said Murthy Madiraju, a researcher at the University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre (CRCHUM). We found that the production of monoacylglycerol is essential for glucose-stimulated insulin secretion by the beta-cell, Madiraju added. The study appeared in the journal Cell Metabolism. (Read : Oral insulin pills for diabetics it could soon be a reality!)
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a life long disease that is characterised by increased levels of sugar in the blood. It is either caused due to lack of insulin (a protein that regulates blood glucose levels) or due to lack of response to insulinproduced by the body. Diabetes caused by lack of insulin is called type 1 diabetes. It develops due to fault in the genes that make insulin and is seen in young adults and teenagers. Diabetes caused by failure of response to insulin is called type 2 diabetes. It is more common type of diabetes and is found in adults. It is caused mainly due to lifestyle factors. Some of the common symptoms of diabetes are hunger, frequent urination and increased thirst. Factors like unhealthy diet, sedentary lifestyle and obesity are main contributing factors of type 2 diabetes. In fact, type 2 diabetes is one of the most common lifestyle diseases which is plaguing people in the developed countries. Diabetes is also known to cause complications like heart diseasesand hypertension. In this section you will find answers to all your queries regarding diabetes. For example, why is it difficult to manage diabetes, how often you should use a glucometer to monitor blood glucose level, can you take honey if you are diabetic and much more. You can find a lot of helpful suggestions to prevent diabetes, reduce your risk of diabetes, natural remedies to control diabetes, healthy food choices for diabetics, etc.
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