Alternative Africa

Top Menu

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contact Us

Main Menu

  • Home
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business
  • Environment
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Reports
    • Africa-Observers
      • Read Reports
      • Submit a story
  • MORE
    • Health
    • News Now
    • World
    • Technology
Sign in / Join

Login

Welcome! Login in to your account
Lost your password?

Lost Password

Back to login
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contact Us

logo

Alternative Africa

  • Home
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business
  • Environment
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Reports
    • Africa-Observers
      • Read Reports
      • Submit a story
  • MORE
    • Health
    • News Now
    • World
    • Technology
  • Anthony Joshua trainer Angel Fernandez, opens up on secret, tactics behind Andy Ruiz win

  • 4 days after marriage, Kenyan couple commits suicide over wedding debt

  • UK probes another Nigerian church, SPAC Nation, over allegation that members pressurized to sell blood

  • Who is next? 10 former Nigerian governors who may go to jail for alleged corruption

  • Meet the 19-year-old Ukrainian, selling her virginity for £84k to travel around the world

HealthNews NowWorld
Home›Health›New York Scientists develop new ‘superdrug’ to cure diabetes

New York Scientists develop new ‘superdrug’ to cure diabetes

By alternativeafrica
January 3, 2019
417
1
Share:

London, Jan. 3, 2019 (AltAfrica)-Here is good news for millions of people worldwide contending with diabetes: Scientists have created a new drug cocktail that can induce insulin-producing cells to regenerate at a rate that is fast enough to work in human treatments.

This is a key step in the pursuit of a cure for diabetes that restores the body’s ability to make insulin.

The recent study by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, NY, reveals how a novel combination of two classes of drug can make adult human beta cells replicate at a rate of 5–8 percent per day.

The team reports the findings in a paper that features in the journal Cell Metabolism.


Insulin for Type 2 Diabetes patients: Scientists have developed a drug combo that can induce production of insulin in man (NAN)

“We are very excited about this new observation,” says lead author Dr. Andrew F. Stewart, who is director of the Mount Sinai Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism Institute, “because, for the first time, we are able to see rates of human cell beta cell replication that are sufficient to replenish beta cell mass in human beings.”

In earlier work, the team had investigated a small molecule that blocks an enzyme called dual-specificity tyrosine-phosphorylation-regulated kinase 1A (DYRK1A). This molecule led to a beta cell proliferation rate of 1.5 to 3 percent.

READ ALSO: NIGERIA LOSES MILITARY HELICOPTER FIGHTING BOKO HARAM

In the new study, the team demonstrated how adding a small molecule from a different class of drug raised the proliferation rate to an average of 5–8 percent. The second drug blocks members of the transforming growth factor beta superfamily (TGFβSF).

However, while the study has taken an important step by showing that the drug combination can regenerate beta cells fast enough for treatment, there is still some work to do.

As Dr. Stewart explains, “The next big hurdle is figuring out how to deliver them directly to the pancreas.”

Diabetes is a disease in which blood glucose rises to harmful levels. Persistent high blood glucose damages blood vessels, nerves, and other body systems. It can lead to vision loss, kidney disease, and heart problems.

Blood glucose levels rise because of difficulties with producing and using insulin, a hormone that helps the body’s cells absorb and use glucose to make energy.

According to the World Health Organisation, estimates suggest that there could be as many as 300 million people worldwide with diabetes by 2025.

There are two main types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. Around 90–95 percent of adults with diabetes have type 2.

In type 1 diabetes, the lack of control of blood glucose occurs because the immune system destroys insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas.

Type 2 diabetes usually starts with insulin resistance, a condition in which cells become less effective at using insulin. The pancreas initially compensates by making more insulin, but this is not a long-term solution, and blood glucose levels eventually climb.

Although the two types have differences, recent studies reveal that type 1 and type 2 diabetes share a major feature: a diminished supply of functioning insulin-producing beta cells.

Dr. Stewart says that none of the drugs currently available for the treatment of diabetes are sufficiently effective in getting human beta cells to regenerate.

Researchers are investigating other approaches, such as transplantation of beta cells or the pancreas and treatments that use stem cells to generate new beta cells. However, none of these are in widespread use, Dr. Stewart notes.

In the earlier work, he and his colleagues had shown that a DYRK1A inhibitor called harmine was able to stimulate a sustained proliferation of adult human beta cells in laboratory cultures.

In addition, mice with human beta cells in place of their own were able to keep blood sugar levels in the normal range following treatment with harmine.

This was a major step forward. However, the rate of new beta cell production was too low for the treatment to be effective in humans with diabetes.

The researchers got the idea of adding a TGFβSF inhibitor to harmine while they were investigating a type of benign tumour that forms in beta cells. This uncovered a novel set of targets for drugs that might enhance beta cell proliferation.

So, the aim of the recent study was to investigate whether combining the two classes of drug might work — and it did.

The investigators write that the study reveals how blocking “DYRK1A and TGFβSF signaling induces remarkable and previously unattainable rates of human beta cell proliferation […] and actually increases human and mouse beta cell numbers.”

The study also explores the mechanisms behind the “remarkable rate of proliferation.” The findings show that the drug combination works not only in beta cells that scientists recovered from “normal cadaveric human islets,” but also in beta cells that they grew from human stem cells and “those from people with type 2 diabetes.”

“Since these drugs have effects on other organs in the body, we now need to develop methods to deliver these drugs specifically to the beta cell in humans.”(NAN)

*Originally published by Medical News Today

SHARE ON:
TagsDiabeteshealthNew Super Drug
Previous Article

Ghana youths vandalize pastor’s property over 2019 ...

Next Article

Nigeria boosts oil production as Total, Samsung ...

0
Shares
  • 0
  • +
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

alternativeafrica

Related articles More from author

  • AfricaBusinessHealthNews Now

    Nigerian Scientist “develops” local tea for diabetes

    January 17, 2019
    By alternativeafrica
  • AfricaAnne's DiaryHealthNews Now

    Why Energy Drink Is Harmful To Blood Vessels-Study

    November 6, 2018
    By alternativeafrica
  • Anne's DiaryHealthNews NowWorld

    Adolescent and mental health by WHO

    November 11, 2018
    By alternativeafrica
  • HealthNews Now

    Diabetes: Lower your risk with sleep and wholegrain

    September 15, 2018
    By alternativeafrica
  • AfricaHealthNews Now

    Diseases cost Africa $2.4 trillion a year-WHO

    March 28, 2019
    By alternativeafrica
  • News Now

    Women who have abortion must be consoled, not punished-Pope Francis

    January 28, 2019
    By alternativeafrica

1 comment

  1. Nigeria 2019: Lagos guber candidates to defend manifestos before Organised Private Sector | Alternative Africa 3 January, 2019 at 03:59 Reply

    […] New York Scientists develop new ‘superdrug’ to cure diabetes […]

Leave a reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

You might be interested

  • News NowPolitics

    Nigeria police confirm gun attack on VP Osinbajo’s campaign train in Ilorin

  • AfricaNews NowNigeria ElectionsPolitics

    World leaders congratulate president Buhari on re-election success

  • News NowPoliticsZimbabwe Elections

    Zimbabwe depolys Police with water cannon ahead of election results

Timeline

  • December 15, 2019

    Anthony Joshua trainer Angel Fernandez, opens up on secret, tactics behind Andy Ruiz win

  • December 15, 2019

    4 days after marriage, Kenyan couple commits suicide over wedding debt

  • December 15, 2019

    UK probes another Nigerian church, SPAC Nation, over allegation that members pressurized to sell blood

  • December 15, 2019

    Who is next? 10 former Nigerian governors who may go to jail for alleged corruption

  • December 15, 2019

    Meet the 19-year-old Ukrainian, selling her virginity for £84k to travel around the world

  • Popular

  • Comments

  • Keynote Address of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at 2018 Oxford Africa Conference

    By PSJ Africa
    May 14, 2018
  • THE TRINKET BOX-A JEWELLERY STORE OF DISTINCTION

    By alternativeafrica
    December 29, 2018
  • Nigeria: Ebonyi state to construct $4 m solar power factory

    By alternativeafrica
    March 29, 2019
  • Year in Review: 2018 in 14 Charts-World Bank

    By alternativeafrica
    December 25, 2018
  • Nigerians in UK, UAE begin enrollment for National Identification Number

    By alternativeafrica
    March 26, 2019
  • Ex-Sudan president, Omar al-Bashir jailed 2 years for corruption | Alternative Africa
    on
    December 14, 2019

    Nigeria: Lagos govt begins demolition of distress buildings

    […] Nigeria: Lagos govt ...
  • Nigeria: Lagos govt begins demolition of distress buildings | Alternative Africa
    on
    December 14, 2019

    UN, Swedish agency launch $5 million initiative to assist Refugees in Uganda start small business

    […] UN, Swedish agency ...
  • UN, Swedish agency launch $5 million initiative to assist Refugees in Uganda start small business | ...
    on
    December 14, 2019

    Kenyan church bans miniskirts, rugged jeans, revealing dresses from service

    […] Kenyan church bans ...
  • Kenyan church bans miniskirts, rugged jeans from service | Alternative Africa
    on
    December 14, 2019

    Beyonce visits Ghana on the Year of Return

    […] Beyonce visits Ghana ...
  • Beyonce visits Ghana on the Year of Return | Alternative Africa
    on
    December 14, 2019

    IOM, France resettle 183 refugees from Chad, Sudan

    […] IOM resettles 183 ...
AlternativeAfrica.com is an independent Pan African News Website dedicated primarily to influencing the negative narratives about Africa. We hope to do this by focusing and showcasing the many developmental strides sweeping across the continent.

Read more >>>

Contact Info

  • 22 Laburnum Court, Laburnum Road, Mitcham London, CR4 2NA, United Kingdom
  • +44(0)2036320939 | +44(0)7535019197 | +44(0)7305356327
  • info@alternativeafrica.com
  • Recent

  • Popular

  • Comments

  • Anthony Joshua trainer Angel Fernandez, opens up on secret, tactics behind Andy Ruiz win

    By alternativeafrica
    December 15, 2019
  • 4 days after marriage, Kenyan couple commits suicide over wedding debt

    By alternativeafrica
    December 15, 2019
  • UK probes another Nigerian church, SPAC Nation, over allegation that members pressurized to sell blood

    By alternativeafrica
    December 15, 2019
  • Who is next? 10 former Nigerian governors who may go to jail for alleged corruption

    By alternativeafrica
    December 15, 2019
  • Keynote Address of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at 2018 Oxford Africa Conference

    By PSJ Africa
    May 14, 2018
  • THE TRINKET BOX-A JEWELLERY STORE OF DISTINCTION

    By alternativeafrica
    December 29, 2018
  • Nigerians in UK, UAE begin enrollment for National Identification Number

    By alternativeafrica
    March 26, 2019
  • Year in Review: 2018 in 14 Charts-World Bank

    By alternativeafrica
    December 25, 2018
  • Ex-Sudan president, Omar al-Bashir jailed 2 years for corruption | Alternative Africa
    on
    December 14, 2019

    Nigeria: Lagos govt begins demolition of distress buildings

    […] Nigeria: Lagos govt ...
  • Nigeria: Lagos govt begins demolition of distress buildings | Alternative Africa
    on
    December 14, 2019

    UN, Swedish agency launch $5 million initiative to assist Refugees in Uganda start small business

    […] UN, Swedish agency ...
  • UN, Swedish agency launch $5 million initiative to assist Refugees in Uganda start small business | ...
    on
    December 14, 2019

    Kenyan church bans miniskirts, rugged jeans, revealing dresses from service

    […] Kenyan church bans ...
  • Kenyan church bans miniskirts, rugged jeans from service | Alternative Africa
    on
    December 14, 2019

    Beyonce visits Ghana on the Year of Return

    […] Beyonce visits Ghana ...

Photostream

    Follow us

    • Home
    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Contact Us
    © Copyright Alternative Africa 2019. All rights reserved.