A particular protein commonly found in people with type 2 diabetes can affect insulin secretion among those with the condition, a new study has identified.
Researchers from Lund University and Newcastle University have found that the protein IGFBP7 can impair the function of beta cells in people with type 2 diabetes and impact their ability to secrete insulin.
Previous studies have highlighted that reduced insulin secretion can trigger high blood glucose levels, which is associated with severe health conditions, such as nerve damage and cardiovascular disease.
The IGFBP7 protein helps control the availability of insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) in body fluids and tissues and increase or decrease the attachment (binding) of IGFs to other molecules called receptors.
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Senior author Efraim Westholm said: “It is an interesting protein to study since it is not known how it affects insulin secretion.
“IGFBP7 also appears to be important for other organs in addition to the pancreas, such as the heart, liver and kidneys.”
He added: “We need to see the big picture when it comes to type 2 diabetes, and it would be interesting if IGFBP7 can be used as a drug target for future treatments that may improve the function of several organs.”
According to the findings, higher levels of the protein IGFBP7 were identified in the beta cells of people living with type 2 diabetes compared to those without the condition.
Fellow author Professor Lena Eliasson said: “Elevated levels of IGFBP7 impair the function of beta cells and their ability to secrete insulin.
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“We believe that our finding may be an important part of the explanation as to why we see a reduction of insulin secretion in type 2 diabetes.”
By knocking out the gene for IGFBP7, the researchers discovered that insulin secretion improved, suggesting that the protein may be a drug target for type 2 diabetes.
Professor Eliasson said: “We need to conduct more studies with cells from more participants to better understand how the protein is expressed to determine what role it plays in type 2 diabetes.
“We hope that the knowledge can be used to develop new drugs in the future. One treatment option could be to reduce the expression of the protein in people with type 2 diabetes to improve the secretion of insulin.”
Read the study in the journal iScience.