Pancreaticโ Alpha Cells Offerโ Potential New Avenue โfor Type 2 Diabetes Treatment
Recent research fromโ Duke University has revealed a surprising capacity withinโข pancreatic alpha cells โฃto produce significantly more of the hormone GLP-1 than previously understood. GLP-1 is a naturally occurring incretin hormone that stimulates insulinโฃ secretion and plays aโค crucial role in glucose regulation – โขthe โsameโ mechanism targeted by popular diabetes medications like Ozempic and Mounjaro.
Led by Jonathan โขCampbell,PhD,Associate Professor in the Division of Endocrinology at Duke,the researchโข team analyzed pancreatic โฃtissue from both mice and humansโ across โa range of ages,body weights,and diabetic statuses. Thier findings, utilizing a highly specific mass spectrometry technique developed by the โคteam, demonstrated โthat human pancreaticโค tissue generates substantially higherโข levels of bioactive GLP-1 – the form directly responsible for stimulating insulin – than previously believed. This production was found to be directly correlated withโค insulin secretion.
“This research shows that alpha cells are more flexible than we imagine,” โคexplained Dr. Campbell. “They can adjustโ their hormonalโฃ production to support beta cells and maintain the โbalanceโ of blood sugar.”
the study also explored the interplay between glucagon, traditionally the primary hormone produced by โคalpha cells, โขand GLP-1. โฃIn mouse โคmodels, blocking glucagon โproduction didn’t lead to the expected decreaseโ in insulin. Instead, alpha cells respondedโค by increasing GLP-1 production, resulting in improved glucose control and a stronger insulin release. Researchersโฃ manipulated the enzymes PC1 (responsible for GLP-1 production) and PC2 (responsible for glucagon production), findingโข that blocking โPC2 increased PC1 activity and improved glucose control. Eliminating both enzymes, however,โ led to decreased insulin secretion andโ elevated โblood sugar, highlighting the critical role of GLP-1.
While โGLP-1โ isโ commonly associated with intestinal production,this study confirms that โคalpha cells within the pancreas also โrelease GLP-1 into circulationโ following food intake,contributing to lowerโข blood โsugar levelsโ by boosting โinsulin and suppressing glucagon. The research also indicated that metabolic stressors, suchโ as aโ high-fat diet, canโฃ modestly increase GLP-1 production in alpha โcells.
These findings suggest a potential โnew therapeutic approach โฃfor type 2 โขdiabetes, where beta cells struggle โคto produce sufficient insulin. โฃ By identifying ways to safely enhance GLP-1 release โfrom alpha cells, scientists might โpotentially be able to naturally support insulin secretion and improve blood sugar management.
“This finding showsโค that theโ body has an integrated backup plan,” Dr. campbell concluded. “GLP-1 is simply a much moreโข powerful signal for beta cells than glucagon.The ability to switch from glucagon to โคGLP-1 during metabolic stress can โbe a criticalโ means of the body maintaining control of blood sugar.”
The research was supported by funding โfrom the National Institutes โof โฃHealth, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Borden Scholars, and the Helmsley Charitable Trust Foundation. The study authors include Canqi Cui, Danielle C. Leander, Saraber, Kimber Grime, Pawgid, David, david A. Dueio, Tike; it โฃJessica O. โBecker, Austin Taylor, Kyle W. Sloop,โฃ C. Bruce Vercher, โand Andrew N. HoofNagle.