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Diabetes News for August 20, 2000
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Insulin Study Yields Heartening ResultsRecent studies have suggested that insulin may be a contributing factor to heart disease. However, a new study refutes this notion, and shows that insulin may even be beneficial to the heart. The study, which was conducted by researchers at the State University of New York at Buffalo, is published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (volume 85, pages 2572-2575, July 2000). Researchers found that insulin increases the level of nitric oxide in the blood, leading to dilation of the blood vessels. It also decreases blood levels of the molecule known as ICAM-1, which leads to inflammation and clogged arteries. Researchers believe that this study will give hope to those who are currently taking insulin, and believe that insulin may even be used to treat people who are at risk for cardiovascular disease.
Kids With Older Moms At Risk For DiabetesIn another effort to explain the reason why people develop Type 1 diabetes, researchers in Britain have looked to mothers for the answers. In particular, they examined the ages of the mothers of children with diabetes. The study can be found in the British Medical Journal (volume 321, pages 420-424, July 2000). It was conducted by doctors at Southmead Hospital in Bristol, and involved 1,375 families. The researchers found that children's risk for developing Type 1 diabetes increased by 25% for every five years of the mothers age over the age of 30. This risk was found to be the highest among first-born children of older mothers, with the risk decreasing by 15% for each child born after the first. Because there has been an increase in the age that women are having children, doctors believe that this may account for the increase in diabetes in the UK since 1970. The mechanics of this, however, are still unclear. Doctors hypothesize that changes in a mother's immune system as she gets older may create a reaction with the baby's immune system. This could somehow explain the problems in the baby's immune system that lead to diabetes. Further research is needed, but the study provides some interesting insights.
White Blood Cells Linked To DiabetesA properly-functioning immune system is dependent on the ability of the immune system to recognize the body's own cells, and to only destroy cells that it finds to be foreign to the body. With diabetes, the immune system does not function properly, and pancreatic cells are destroyed and unable to produce insulin. A new study may explain the way in which this happens. The study was conducted by a cooperative effort of researchers from various universities in Canada and England, and was funded by the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. The researchers focused on the way white blood cells bind to islet cells in the pancreas by recognizing certain protein markers. When the white blood cells bind to the islet cells, they cause inflammation and destruction of the cells. In the study, mice that were bred to develop diabetes were treated with a protein that was also recognized by white blood cells. This caused an interruption in the maturation of the white blood cells, stopping them from destroying islet cells. The researchers hope that additional studies will be conducted so that a full understanding of autoimmunity may be reached, and the process can be stopped.
Oral Insulin Doesn't Slow Pace Of DiabetesRecent experiments with animal subjects have given researchers hope that taking insulin orally may stop the progression of diabetes. However, a new study with human participants appears to refute that notion. The study can be found in the journal The Lancet ( volume 356, pages 545-549, July 2000). It involved the participation of 131 people who had been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in the last year. The participants were treated with either oral insulin or a placebo. Researchers found that there were no differences in the levels of destructive proteins, insulin needs, or blood sugar control between the two groups. Researchers, however, believe that further study must be conducted to determine whether or not oral insulin may be used in the fight against diabetes. In particular, researcher believe that studies must experiment with dosages, delivery methods, and the idea of combining insulin with other substances to stop the destruction of cells that produce insulin.
Study Gets The Skinny On Fat Cell DevelopmentObesity is a serious problem in the US, having all sorts of health ramifications. Doctors hope that a recent study of proteins may lead to new treatments for weight problems. In a study conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, it was found that a protein called Wnt is a primary controller of fat cell development. This protein is secreted by immature fat cells, and then binds to Wnt receptors. When the two bind together, the immature fat cell is unable to mature into a fat cell. The problem occurs when immature fat cells stop making Wnt, and fat cells are produced at a much faster rate. The absence of Wnt can also cause pre-muscle cells to convert into mature fat cells. According to the study, published in the August 10 issue of Science, more research is needed. Scientists are still not clear on the mechanisms that stop Wnt, although they postulate that increasing Wnt production in the body would decrease the production of fat cells.
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