Researchers recommend that a small chemical modification to insulin can make the molecule act more quickly while protecting its function in the organism. In the Journal of Biological Chemistry, investigators explain how they predicted the effect with computer simulations and then confirmed it with laboratory studies.
Global scientist team identified that they could accelerate the disassembly and release of insulin from its complex structure to its available form by substituting a single hydrogen atom with an iodine atom in its molecular structure.
Insulin is a tiny protein that controls blood glucose by passing signals into cells. In the human body, it is present in two forms: a complex one for storage and a simpler one for action.
In
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This binding enables signals from the insulin to pass into the cell.
For some time, investigators have been testing with ways to control this disassembly process to enhance the therapy of diabetes, a condition that takes place when insulin production is reduced or when the body cannot use it effectively.
Protein engineering
Investigators use different techniques to discover and discover new ways to fight disease with molecules that do not exist in nature. This involves developing synthetic versions, or analogs, of naturally occurring compounds.
Protein engineering consists of modifying the structure and function of proteins - the chemical workhorses of the organism - using only a computer or via evolution in the lab.
One area of application that is demonstrating promise is the development of designer medicines to protect against various strains of influenza virus.
In the new study, Markus Meuwly and colleagues experimented with different insulin analogs by tactically replacing individual atoms in the molecular structure of natural insulin.
Promising method for enhancing medicinal
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Study team then performed laboratory experiments to ensure the properties noticed in the computer simulations. These studies used methods like as crystallography and nuclear magnetic resonance.
The investigators identified that substituting one hydrogen atom for one iodine atom enhanced the availability of insulin but did not change its affinity for the insulin receptor.
It is quite possible, say the investigators, that their insulin analog - which is different from natural insulin by only a single atom - has clinical potential as a new medicine.
The use of halogen atoms - a group that contains fluorine, chlorine, bromine, and iodine - is a promising method for optimizing compounds in medicinal chemistry, say the investigators.
Add to above statement investigators said,
"Inspired by quantum chemistry and molecular dynamics, like 'halogen engineering' assures to expand principles of medicinal chemistry to
regulate glucose levels had artificially been altered (“The Discovery of Insulin”). The results were groundbreaking and the diabetic dogs responded well to the injections, marking a major step forward in diabetes research (“The Discovery of Insulin”). Through the help of Professor John Macleod of the University of Toronto, they were able to continue their research (“The Discovery of Insulin”). Finally, in January of 1922, testing Dr. Banting’s developments in diabetes treatment on human beings had finally been completed and the results led to the ultimate development of the insulin treatment that is still used to this day (Simoni, Hill and Vaughan 31).
The development of insulin saved many lives throughout the 1920’s. Insulin allows your body to turn blood sugar into energy, and diabetes patients don’t have an important hormone called insulin. In fact, thousands of people had this issue. In the 1900’s, the only treatments for diabetes were starvation diets and very strict exercise program. Dr. Frederick Bating, the inventor of insulin, had spent a lot of his time studying the disease of diabetes. He thought if he could isolate insulin in animals, it would be possible to use it to treat people with diabetes. Later on his theory proved to be correct. Dr. Frederick Banting needed a lab to test his theory and work on it so he could have insulin mass produced and treat the disease of diabetes.
During the 1920’s, many discoveries happened in the medical field. In particular, a major discovery was insulin. It helps save many lives since the 1920’s until today. The discovery of insulin resulted in a Nobel Peace Prize. It is an extremely significant hormone in the body of humans and animals. There are many facts people should be aware of about insulin like how it became discovered, what it is, and how it helps treat diabetes.
To produce insulin, manufacturers need to get the human protein that produces insulin through an amino-acid sequencing machine that synthesizes the DNA. The Manufacturer must know the exact sequence of insulin’s amino acids, they input the sequence and the machine connects the amino acids
Insulin potentiation therapy is celebrated for being both safe and innovative in the field of cancer treatment. Best of all, unlike chemotherapy and other treatment methods, insulin potentiation therapy has minimal side effects and does not make patients feel nauseous, experience liver damage, or suffer from radical hair loss. I
Diabetes affects 9.3% of the population in America. It is the 7th leading cause of death in the United States [1]. Diabetes is a disease where the body is unable to produce insulin in sufficient amounts. The insulin breaks down glucose, so without the insulin, the glucose is unable to be broken down which leads to the buildup in the blood. Without glucose metabolizing, the body will not have energy to function [2]. Treatments for diabetes has varied throughout the years. However, the one thing they all have in common is insulin replacement. Previously, animal insulin was the only solution. Now, we are able to administer human insulin using a recombinant DNA technology [4]. It is most commonly administered with a subcutaneous injection.
Rapid-acting insulin— Three injected rapid-acting insulin analogs—insulin lispro, insulin aspart and insulin glulisine – are commercially available. The rapid-acting insulins permit more physiologic prandial insulin replacement because their rapid onset and ealrly peak action more closely mimic normal endogenous prandial insulin secretion than does regular insulin and they have the additional benefit of allowing insulin to be taken immediately before the meal without sacrificing glucose control.
Insulin is considered to be a heat sensitive product which needs to be maintained at certain optimum temperatures for it to work effectively. The transportation from the laboratory to the consumer has to be taken into consideration as all temperature variation can cause the efficiency of the treatment to decrease. (Lens, 2010)
The thiazolidinediones are a unique class of agents that improve the third parameter, and are therefore also called as the “Insulin sensitizers”.
The thiazolidinediones are a unique class of agents that improve the third parameter, and are therefore also called as the “Insulin sensitizers”.
It is used to treat diabetes but is limited in supply and does not suit all people. The non-natural way to create insulin is to use genetically modified bacteria. The gene for creating insulin is taken out from human DNA and placed into the DNA of a bacterium. The bacterium is refined and after a while millions of bacteria are producing human
Like few proteins out there, the insulin receptor was searched for extensively by the medical community and the major reason had to do with the hormone insulin. Insulin is a polypeptide that when bound to the insulin receptor, it causes the beta subunits in the cell to dimerize. Dimerization activates the tyrosine residues on the beta subunits of the receptor. These tyrosines are able to auto phosphorylate themselves. Now activated by the new phosphate bound to it, the tyrosine residue causes phosphorylation of another tyrosine residue on a target protein and then this one will phosphorylate another protein all the way down through the cell until it initiates a cell response. The most well known responses insulin produces is glycolysis and glycogenesis. However it also affects glucose transport into the cell as well as fatty acid synthesis.
Many experimental approaches to treat diabetes focus on counteracting the non-stop attack on islet cells that produce insulin which causes the chronic ailment. In North Carolina, researchers created in October artificial beta cells that could detect the need for insulin which automatically secretes it. The technology, they believe, could be delivered using a painless skin patch.
The development of insulin analogues is always attempting to alleviate some of the defects of traditional insulin (Danne et al., 2002). Insulins lispro, glulisine, and aspart have a faster onset of action and shorter duration that makes them more suitable for blousing at meal times and for short-term correction of hyperglycemia (See the graph above). They are also more appropriate for using with insulin pumps. Intermediate-acting insulin (detemir) is of a similar profile of action to isophane but it is more pharmacologically predictable and is less likely to cause weight gain, whereas glargine is of a relatively flat profile of action, lasting some 18-26 hours. Despite their obvious advantages, compared with traditional insulins, no evidence
Diabetes is a systemic disease caused by a decrease in the secretion of insulin or reduced sensitivity or responsiveness to insulin by target tissue. (Beale, et al., 2011) The incidence of diabetes is growing rapidly in the United States and worldwide. An estimated 347 million people around the world are afflicted with diabetes. (Whalen, et al., 2012) According to World Health Organization (WHO), Diabetes prevalence among adults over 18 years of age has risen from 4.7% in 1980 to 8.5% in 2014. It is the major cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attack, stroke and limbic amputation. World Health Organization (WHO) projects that diabetes will be the 7th leading cause of death in 2030. It is a complex and costly disease that can affect nearly every organ in the body and result in devastating consequences. The leading cause of non-traumatic lower extremity amputations, renal failure, and blindness in working-age adults, diabetes is also a major cause of premature mortality, stroke, cardiovascular disease, peripheral vascular disease, congenital malformations, perinatal mortality, and disability. (Cefalu, 2000) Insulin therapy and oral hypoglycemic agents have demonstrated improvement in glycaemic control. However, Insulin therapy has some disadvantages such as ineffectiveness following oral administration, short shelf life, of the need for constant refrigeration, and fatal hypoglycaemia, in the event of excess dosage.