Science
Salk Institute
NEW PATHWAY DISCOVERED THAT CONTROLS BLOOD GLUCOSE INDEPENDENT OF INSULIN
Salk Institute
The discovery of insulin 100 years ago opened a door that would lead to life and hope for millions of people with diabetes . Ever since then , insulin , produced in the pancreas , has been considered the primary means of treating conditions characterized by high blood sugar ( glucose ), such as diabetes .
Now , Salk scientists have discovered a second molecule , produced in fat tissue , that , like insulin , also potently and rapidly regulates blood glucose . Their finding could lead to the development of new therapies for treating diabetes and lays the foundation for promising new avenues in metabolism research .
The study , which was recently published in Cell Metabolism , shows that a hormone called FGF1 regulates blood glucose by inhibiting fat breakdown ( lipolysis ). Like insulin , FGF1 controls blood glucose by inhibiting lipolysis , but the two hormones do so in different ways . Importantly , this difference could enable FGF1 to be used to safely and successfully lower blood glucose in people who suffer from insulin resistance .
“ Finding a second hormone that suppresses lipolysis and lowers glucose is a scientific breakthrough ,” co-senior author and Salk Professor Ronald Evans , holder of the March of Dimes
92 GBSAN . COM | FEBRUARY 2022