Small Molecule Induces Insulin Expression In Pancreatic Alpha-Cells, Broad Institute And Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Study

Physorg.com -- Researchers at the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT have made an important first step in identifying a potential new avenue for developing novel diabetes therapies. Diabetes results when the body destroys its own insulin-producing beta (ß) cells. Using a small molecule, the investigators could induce a low level of insulin production in alpha (a) cells, a pancreatic cell that normally does not make insulin. This finding suggests a possible alternative way of increasing ß-cell mass and boost insulin secretion. These results were published in the August 9 edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.