Liver metabolism discovery suggests potential new targets for diabetes treatment
New research has overturned the conventional view of what the liver does after a meal and suggests a backup pathway that governs glucose metabolism, according to the Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania.
With each meal, insulin turns off glucose production in the liver. The “textbook” model of liver metabolism claims that a protein called Akt in the liver is absolutely required for proper insulin signaling.
However, the Penn researchers found that the livers of insulin-resistant mice lacking the Akt protein responded normally after a meal. The research team hypothesized that a backup pathway exists in the liver that governs glucose metabolism.
The researchers believe that insulin is working on other tissues' receptors and also communicates with the liver before and after a meal. Previous studies have shown that the brain has insulin receptors as well and that a pathway through the nervous system may exist.
Researchers surmise that the backup pathway has been difficult to see because the liver loses its ability to respond to outside signals when insulin signaling in the liver is disrupted.
The study found that the insulin-resistant mice have another gene, Foxo, that is turned on all the time. This keeps glucose production turned on because the liver believes that the body is fasting.
The scientists hypothesize that in the body's normal state, Foxo is off most of the time. Foxo is inappropriately activated in a diabetic state. They believe that Foxo prevents the liver from responding to the brain's signal to start or stop glucose production.
The researchers currently are conducting tests to prove this hypothesis.
These results suggest potential new pathways to target for type 2 diabetes treatment, according to the medical school.
A paper on the study appears online in Nature Medicine.
The hormone insulin helps the body use or store the blood glucose it gets from food, according to American Diabetes Association. In people with type 2 diabetes, the body makes insulin but it does not respond well to it. People living with type 2 diabetes may need diabetes medication or insulin shots to help their bodies use glucose for energy.
Source: University of Pennsylvania, American Diabetes Association
More Articles
With its slightly nutty flavor, chewy texture, and nutritional punch farro is an ancient whole grain worth a place in our pantry.
Farro...
Having diabetes is cause for concern, however it doesn’t mean that you need to eliminate all of your favorite foods from your diet completely....
With diabetes becoming more of an epidemic each and every day, being knowledgeable about the disease, its effects on the body as well as ways to...
If you’re a diabetic or live with one, it can be tough trying to figure out the best foods to eat because your priority is to control your blood...
In this post, I will show you the 10 best ice creams for diabetics.
When you think of sweetened foods that a diabetic shouldn’t consume,...
More Articles
If you’re living with diabetes, snacking is a necessity because going for more than 3-4 hours without eating can be detrimental to your health....
For diabetics, choosing healthy snacks can be a daunting task.
A good rule of thumb is to pick out snacks that are rich in protein, fiber,...
According to information available through the National Institutes of Health, there’s an estimated 462 million people in the world who are...
Eleven Clinical Studies
After eleven clinical studies and 300,000 participants, researcher Vasanti Malik and her team of researchers...
Diabetic women often have a harder time losing weight than non-diabetic women. A study funded by Jenny Craig proved that diabetic women have an...
Many recent studies have proved that magnesium levels are lower in patients with diabetes than in non-diabetics. This magnesium...
Fluid retention, also known as edema, is a problem that affects many diabetics, especially those with type 2 diabetes...
Some of us might be thrilled if we could manage our blood sugar by sitting in a hot tub or sauna, instead of working up a sweat biking, or using...
Cooking and baking with the ancient cereal grain sorghum has health benefits for people with diabetes, and those with weight control issues....
When it comes to certain foods, there are always questions as to whether or not a diabetic can have them without...
Matcha tea is a rich, creamy, full-bodied beverage with amazing nutritional properties that address several diabetes health concerns.
The...
Salads are good example of foods that type 2 diabetics can enjoy with relatively low guilt. With the right greens and other elements added, salad...
Remaining gainfully employed is important to many people. Those who live with any form of diabetes may find that some lines of work are more...
Learning that you have diabetes does mean making some lifestyle changes. One of the areas that needs attention is your diet. Most people find that...
One of the more challenging aspects of life as a type 2 diabetic is managing your diet. There’s often the temptation to avoid certain foods...