You know, I’ve always liked mice. Cute and furry little guys.

Now it seems some new studies out of the University of Florida research labs (http://www.ufl.edu/) show that a certain Protein (Complex Amino Acid Chain) called Pdx1 is stimulating insulin production in mice.

In this article titled: *“Researchers trigger insulin production in diabetic mice”* (Found via BernardFarrell.com) they note:

“Now University of Florida researchers have coaxed liver and pancreatic cells within diabetic mice into churning out insulin by injecting the animals with a naturally occurring protein called Pdx1, opening up a new research avenue that someday could lead to safer treatments for type 1 diabetes. Pdx1 activates the genes controlling the development of the pancreas cells that make and release insulin to maintain safe levels of glucose in the body. The UF research team’s novel approach is described online in the journal Diabetes.”

What makes Pdx1 special?

“Pdx1 is so special because it possesses a unique amino acid sequence that acts as a sort of molecular passport, allowing it to pass freely into cells, enter the nucleus and activate insulin production and release,” said lead scientist Dr. Li-Jun Yang, an associate professor of pathology, immunology and laboratory medicine at UF’s College of Medicine.

Earlier research has shown that inserting the Pdx1 gene into liver or pancreas cells can induce insulin production, but most gene therapy methods use viruses to introduce a piece of genetically engineered DNA into cells. The disadvantage of such approaches is that researchers can never be certain the viruses are entirely harmless, Yang said.”

Seems they injected the protein to the stomach of the mice (Hope they didn’t hurt the little guys…). Perhaps one day you’ll just have to get a giant needle stuck in your mid-section every so often instead of daily insulin injections? We’ll see.

Mind you this is just research and preliminary tests, they of course say human trials are at best years away.

Though I am curious, where natural chains of the Pdx1 amino acid chain can be found natually. Which fruits, which veggies etc.

But in the mean time, be nice to a mouse.

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This entry was posted on Saturday, January 26th, 2008 at 2:37 pm and is filed under Diabetes Medication, Diabetes News, Diabetes Study.
Tags: Diabetic Protein, Mice Pdx1, Mice Protein, Pdx1, Pdx1 Amino Acid, Pdx1 Diabetes, Protein Pdx1, UFL Pdx1 Diabetes, University of Florida Pdx1.
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