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Blocking the action of a gene called Sirtuin-1 reduced the symptoms of type 2 diabetes in rats, scientists have found. People with Type 2 diabetes suffer from high blood glucose concentrations due to insulin resistance and increased glucose production. To create a similar condition in rats, the researchers put the rats on a four-week diet of high-fat, fructose-rich meals.
Sirtuin-1 is a gene responsible for regulating glucose production in the liver. The researchers blocked Sirtuin-1 in the diabetic rats by injecting them with a fragment of genetic information. This fragment – called an antisense oligonuclotide – interrupts and blocks gene expression and can be targeted to specific genes.
After Sirtuin-1 inhibition, the rats were more sensitive and responsive to insulin. The rate of glucose production fell back to normal levels, resulting in a decrease in the blood plasma. Thus the Sirtuin-1 gene is a cause of type 2 diabetes symptoms.
The results of this study are consistent with a recent mouse study which showed that decreased expression of Sirtuin-1 led to better insulin sensitivity. The next step is to develop inhibitors targeted to Sirtuin-1 in the liver.
See also our page on the development of insulin for diabetes
Last edited: 11 January 2022 08:44