Researchers from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Melbourne, have attempted to answer a 100-year-old question in diabetes research of whether a molecule other than insulin can have the same effect as insulin. The new research, published in Nature Communications , reports alternative molecules that can stimulate blood glucose uptake, bypassing the need for insulin altogether. A new technology called cryo-electron microscopy has allowed researchers to generate 3D images of the insulin receptor, rapidly generating blueprints and allowing comparative studies of insulin-mimicking molecules called “peptides” with insulin.
The peptides work as pairs, activating the insulin receptor. The team’s discovery could help replace insulin injections for type 1 diabetes patients by providing these mimetic molecules with drugs that can be taken as pills. Do you think using insulin-mimicking molecules…
