Botox proteins could lead to new therapies for type 2 diabetes

Proteins that are targeted by Botox treatments may play a role in the development of new therapies for type 2 diabetes, according to researchers in Scotland.
The scientists from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh are using new molecular microscopic techniques in an attempt to find out how the body’s release of the hormone insulin is regulated.
The team, led by Dr Colin Rickma, are focusing on the use of SNARE proteins. These proteins are targeted by Botox treatments due to their effect on muscle contractions.
However, they also play a role in the functions of the human pancreas, specifically the release of insulin by pancreatic beta cells.
For the first time, Dr Rickman and colleagues are now observing SNARE proteins in these specialised cells to try and uncover how they trigger insulin secretion.
Dr Rickman said: “The human body has a system for storing glucose and releasing it when the body needs energy. This system is controlled by the release of insulin.
“When a person is obese, which a worryingly high and increasing number of people in the UK are, this system is put under pressure and eventually fails. This leads to Type 2 diabetes.
“We know SNARE proteins are responsible for insulin secretio, but it’s still not understood exactly how they do it.
“Once we can understand how these proteins behave in ‘normal’ circumstances, how they move, how they are arranged in the cell, how they interact with other proteins, we can then compare it with what happens under Type 2 diabetic conditions.”
He added that ultimately, the research could lead to new ways of diagnosing, treating and preventing type 2 diabetes.