A potential hope for people with diabetes

Newly Discovered Hormone Increases Beta Cell

^{Proliferation}

^{Betatrophin may improve beta cell proliferation and cell size....}

^{In a mouse model, researchers from the Harvard Stem Cell Institute aimed to identify secreted signals}

^{that control beta cell proliferation. During the study, the mice were administered an insulin receptor}

^{antagonist, known as S961, which blocks insulin signaling and induces glucose intolerance, and}

^{results in an increase in beta cell proliferation. Because there was no effect when S961 was}

^{administered directly to the mouse beta cells, researchers analyzed gene expression after}

^{administration to the liver tissues, white fat and skeletal muscle. This analysis revealed that}

^{betatrophin is upregulated in the liver and that the beta cell proliferation rate increased an average 17-}

^{fold in the mice, with some individual mice having replication rates as high as 33-fold.}

^{Although only studied in mice, betatrophin has been cloned and shown to exist in humans. The}

^{researchers agreed there still needs to be more studies done before this treatment option could be}

^{available for patients, but they believe human clinical trials could begin in three to five years. If the}

^{trials in humans are successful and show the effectiveness of using betatrophin to allow type 2}

^{diabetic patients to produce more of their own beta cells, these patients could possibly stop taking}

^{insulin injections multiple times a day and instead take an injection of betatrophin once a week,}

^{month or, at best, year.}

^{Practice Pearls:}

^{New hormone, betatrophin, expressed in the liver increases beta cell proliferation and cell size}

^{only when needed.}

^{Betatrophin may decrease the amount or need for insulin.}

^{Trials in humans may be seen sooner than expected}

Dr. Noble Zachariah M.D.

Specialist- Internal Medicine and Diabetes,

International Clinic, Farwaniya

*********************************************