Will Protectin DX help in the treatment of diabetes?
A natural molecule has been discovered that mimics the effect of physical exercise
NanoNewsNet based on the materials of Universite Laval: Scientists discover a natural molecule to treat type 2 diabetesThe lipid protectin DX synthesized in the body mimics some of the effects of exercise on blood glucose levels and can be used to treat insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
However, it cannot be considered as a full-fledged replacement for physical activity, scientists warn.
Scientists of the Research Center (Centre de recherche) of the Quebec Heart and Lung Institute (Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Quebec), the Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods (Institut sur la nutrition et les aliments fonctionnels) and the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Laval (Universite Laval) have discovered a molecule synthesized by the body that can be it is used for the treatment of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus. This molecule, a derivative of omega-3 fatty acids, mimics some of the effects of exercise on blood glucose levels.
The details of this discovery, made by Professor Andre Marette, PhD, and his group, are published in the journal Nature Medicine (White et al., Protectin DX allows insulin resistance by activating a myokine-liver glucoregulatory axis).
Scientists already know that omega-3 fatty acids can reduce insulin resistance due to a diet high in saturated fat. In their earlier work, Professor Marette and his colleagues linked these effects to a bioactive lipid called Protectin D1 (Protectin D1). In the course of further research, they found that another member of the same family, Protectin DX (PDX), is a trigger for the synthesis and secretion of interleukin 6 (IL–6) in muscle cells. This reaction is also observed during exercise.
"Being in the blood, IL-6 controls glucose levels in two ways: it sends a signal to the liver about the need to reduce glucose synthesis and acts directly on the muscles in order to increase its absorption," explains Professor Marette.
To demonstrate the link between PDX and IL-6, the researchers used transgenic mice lacking the IL-6 gene. In these animals, PDX had very little effect on blood glucose levels. In similar tests conducted on obese rats with a diabetes model, PDX significantly increased the response to insulin, a hormone that regulates sugar levels.
"The described mechanism of action of PDX represents a new therapeutic strategy for improving glucose control," the researcher believes. "Its effectiveness is comparable to the effectiveness of some medications currently prescribed to regulate blood glucose."
Although, by inducing the secretion of IL-6 in muscles, PDX seems to mimic the effect of physical exercise, it cannot be considered as a full-fledged substitute for physical activity, warns Professor Marette.
"Physical exercise has a positive effect on the cardiovascular and hormonal systems, which goes far beyond their metabolic effects on muscles," the researcher adds.
Professor Marette and Laval University have already filed a patent application for PDX and its therapeutic applications.
"Our next step will be to demonstrate the antidiabetic effect of PDX on the human body and identify the receptor through which it acts."
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