Hacking Gut Cells to Produce Insulin – Diabetes 32

At previous post, we mentioned about possibility to produce insulin in the lab (petridish): Can Insulin be Produced from Laboratory Dish? - Diabetes 25 | Tanza Erlambang Update

Fig 01- A stray cat, just illustration

Now, scientists have developed a new method to produce insulin without “beta cells” from Pancreas. How?

The method is known as “hacking cells.” Researchers from Weill Cornell Medicine invented this method.

As reported by David Neil, published in ScienceAlert (2023: Scientists Hacked Human Cells to Make Insulin, And It Reversed Diabetes in Mice) that researchers to use stomach cell to replace roles of “beta cells.”

Why?

Fig 02- Painting by local artist, Brent

It is because both pancreatic and gut cells are close by during early development of human embryo, thus, not big deals to alter stomach steams to be like beta cells functions to produce insulin.

 Fig 03- Hibiscus flower, illustration

Sure, this is just early findings. Scientists might be need several steps further to apply to diabetes patients.

# Previous postings:

- Why is Low Glycemic Index Important? - Diabetes 29 | Tanza Erlambang Update

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Could Diabetes Increase Chance to Get Stroke? - Diabetes 31

Both diabetes and stroke cases are increase in the USA in recent years. In stroke cases, as reported by CDC (2022: Stroke Facts) that there is one dies in every 3.5 minutes due to stroke.

Fig 01- Diabetes is one of crucial risk factors for Stroke

(credit to UR Medicine)

The question, Could Diabetes Increase Chance to Get Stroke?

Quick answer is YES. Then why?

It is because blood contain a lot of sugar may lead to damage or make stiff of our blood vessels.

The stiff of blood vessels then could block the flow of blood to spread to other parts of our body.

We might familiar with the words of heart attacks, it is because the blood flows are blocked to reach the heart.

Fig 02 – A little corner, illustration

# Some important postings of diabetes:

- Can Diabetic Ketone-acidosis Lead to Death? - Diabetes 9

- Is there Relationship between Coffee and Type 2 Diabetes? - Diabetes 10

- Could Green Tea Improve Insulin Sensitivity? - Diabetes 11

- Can Blood Sugar Hold at Normal Level Without Medication? - Diabetes 12

Image 3- A garden décor, illustration

Moreover, the stroke is happening when the blood flows are blocked to feed our brain.

In fact, people with type 2 diabetes will have chance 3 times more to get stroke than “normal” people (Rory Scott, 2013: STROKE RISK TRIPLES WITH DIABETES).

Fig 04- The African violet, illustration

Take care!

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List of Foods with Low Glycemic Index – Diabetes 30

We talked about important of Low Glycemic Index (GI) for diabetes patients. Index may relate to spike of blood sugar level when eating certain foods. The index has scale from 0 to 100.

Fig 01- The long bean in the grocery

You may read the previous post about Low Glycemic Index: Why is Low Glycemic Index Important? - Diabetes 29 | Tanza

Then we might wonder about which foods have Low Glycemic Index. As suggested by Mayo Clinic (2023: Low-glycemic index diet: What's behind the claims?), there are 3 levels of index scales:

- low Glycemic Index, scale between 1 to 55

- medium Glycemic Index, scale between 56 to 69.

- high Glycemic Index, scale between 70 to 100

Fig 02- Broccoli, Low Glycemic Index

# Posting about diabetes:

- Effect of Metabolic on Beta Cells in the Pancreas - Diabetes 5 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- How Lipotoxicity Relate to Diabetes? - Diabetes 6 |

- What is Hypoxia and How Its Relates to Diabetes? - Diabetes 7 | Tanza Erlambang Update

- Can Abnormal Blood Sugar Lead to Seizure? - Diabetes 8 | Tanza Erlambang Update

Fig 03- Cassava, Low Glycemic Index

Some examples of foods based on their Glycemic Index (GI) levels

1) Low GI levels include:

- most fruit, peas, beans and green vegetables

2) Medium GI levels may include:

- multigrain, whole-grain, corn, pineapple and bananas

3) High GI levels are:

- white bread and white rice

Fig 04- Corn, medium Glycemic Index

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Why is Low Glycemic Index Important? - Diabetes 29

Some of you may be have good knowledge about list of foods with higher calories. If not, we just look at packaging of foods. Calories and nutrition facts are written there.

Fig 01- Fruits have Low Glycemic Index

I always observe in many groceries, even kids and teenagers have a kind of “automatic” skill for reading quickly the nutrition facts and calories written on the packaging of any foods.

In respect to calories, it is important for diabetic or pre-diabetic patients. High calories may lead to spike of blood sugar.

In addition to calories, we should know Glycemic Index. Then what is Glycemic Index? Why important?

Fig 02- Vegetable is good for Low Glycemic Index

# Some postings relate to Diabetes:

- What is Type 2 Diabetes? - Diabetes 1

- What is the Relationship between Eggs and Diabetes? - Diabetes 2 | Tanza Erlambang

- Why Pancreas of Type 2 Diabetic Persons Produce Less Insulin? - Diabetes 3 | Tanza

- Could Medicines Affect on Pancreas to Produce Insulin? - Diabetes 4 | Tanza Erlambang

Fig 03- Peanuts and beans have Low Glycemic Index

Glycemic Index is index to measure affect of certain foods on level of blood sugar in our body. The scale is between 0 to 100.

Lower Glycemic Index means the body could minimize the spike of blood sugar, so the level of blood sugar in balance.

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Could Available Drugs Regenerate beta Cells? – Part 2 - Diabetes 28

You may read previous posting (Part 1):

- Could Available Drugs Regenerate beta Cells? – Part 1 - Diabetes 28

Fig 01- Some drugs at pharmacy store

In addition to treat diabetes, GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 Ras) have other several advantages:

- heart health

- and kidney function

Researchers from Icahn medical school, Mount Sinai, New York combined both DYRK1A inhibitors and GLP-1 receptor agonists to see their effect on beta cell replication on human with diabetes.

The result is quite surprising!

Fig 02- A nice pet

Fig 03- Mermaid tail, illustration.

Finding of research may be summarized as following:

1) It is possible to replicate beta cells in diabetes patients

- previous research was fail.

2) Combine drugs able to produce beta cells in quite numbers

- about 5% to 6% after four days treatment.

- while using GLP-1 receptor agonist alone produce 2% beta cells only

3) Further developments

- Scientists believe that combines with other inhibitor drugs could increase cells replications significantly.

# Previous postings:

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Could Available Drugs Regenerate beta Cells? – Part 1 - Diabetes 28

We have talked about dangerous of several drugs in the market that cause negative effect on beta cells to produce insulin:

- Why Pancreas of Type 2 Diabetic Persons Produce Less Insulin? - Diabetes 3

- Could Medicines Affect on Pancreas to Produce Insulin? - Diabetes 4

Fig 01- Diet for diabetes

However, based on research published in Science Translational Medicine, Vol.12, no 530 (February, 2020) that two type of drugs are able to grow beta cells in human pancreas.

Two type of drugs which could replicate beta cells are:

- DYRK1A inhibitors

- and GLP-1 receptor agonists

Researchers found that using DYRK1A inhibitors alone could stimulate beta cells productions, but at modest level only.

Fig 02- Illustration purpose

Fig 03- Sagitarius, Illustration only

Then researchers searched other possibility by using GLP-1 receptor agonists which are prescription drugs to treat diabetes.

Some of GLP-1 receptor agonists are following:

- Novo Nordisk’s Victoza

- Ozempic

- Rybelsus

- Eli Lilly’s Trulicity

- and AstraZeneca’s Bydureon.

# To be continued to Part 2

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What Habit may Contribute to Diabetes? - Diabetes 27

This post is summary of several readings, include:

- Lipla Nagi, 2015. Six bad habits that put you at risk for diabetes.

- Donna SM, et al, 2014. Behavioral Contributions to the Pathogenesis of Type 2 Diabetes.

Magnolia flowers in the last spring

There are some habits could caused diabetes, they are:

1) Stay until late night (until morning) leads to development of diabetes.

- The 8 hours sleep will not set off development.

- However, late night disrupts sleep quality that lead to bad metabolism, then affect to blood sugar regulation.

2. Using of plastic wrap may cause insulin resistance:

- thus increased risk of diabetes, especially for children.

3.Avoid sun in longer period may increase risk of diabetes.

- It is because lack of sun lead to vitamin D deficiency, then decrease pancreases ability to produce insulin.

Falling tree, just for illustration

4.Too much sitting may increase risk of diabetes.

- One hour sitting will increase risk by 4%.

- Sitting may cause storage of visceral fat, thus reduce insulin sensibility.

5.Skip breakfast may cause hungry at late morning, thus increase risk of type 2 diabetes.

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