New Mechanism for Controlling Blood Sugar Level Discovered

Scientists at the University of Leicester have identified for the first time a new way in which our body controls the levels of sugar in our blood following a meal in the form of a particular protein whose role involves helping to maintain correct blood sugar levels. This protein, called the M3-muscarinic receptor, which is present in the cells that release insulin in the pancreas, must not only be active, but also needs to undergo a specific change in order to trigger insulin release and thus control the level of sugar in the blood. Without this change in protein conformation, sugar levels increase similar to that in diabetes. Researchers are currently testing if this mechanism of controlling blood sugar levels is a process disrupted in diabetes. A positive result could have a dramatic impact on the future for diabetes.

I found this article particularly interesting because diabetes is a common disease and runs in my family. Both my grandfather and my younger brother are plagued by diabetes. A possible breakthrough in diabetes research such as this one could lead to simpler and more effective treatments for the numerous complications the disease brings.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101129111735.htm