RESEARCH New type of insulin could help diabetics avoid sudden drops in blood sugar

Scientists have developed a new form of insulin that can switch on and off automatically according to blood glucose levels. In animals, this “intelligent” insulin effectively reduces high blood sugar levels, while preventing excessive drops in blood sugar, reports News.ro.

A modified insulin that prevents a sudden drop in blood sugar (blood sugar/glucose) has been tested in laboratory experiments and in animal models, according to an article published Wednesday in the journal Nature.

The success could provide a more flexible way to supplement insulin for people with diabetes and sudden drops in blood sugar.

For some people with diabetes, additional insulin injections are needed to control blood glucose levels.

Changes in blood glucose levels are difficult to predict, making it difficult to choose appropriate doses of insulin.

Even a slightly high dose can lead to hypoglycemia (too low a blood glucose level), which can be life-threatening.

Scientists say, iin an article published by the studyin the journal Nature, a modified form of insulin with activity that varies with blood glucose levels.

The molecule, called NNC2215, is equipped with a switch that can turn on or off in response to glucose. At high glucose concentrations, the switch opens and insulin becomes more active, removing glucose from the blood. When glucose levels drop, the switch switches to a closed state, which prevents glucose from being absorbed.

Laboratory experiments showed that after an increase in glucose concentration from 3 to 20 mM (approximately the range of variations experienced by people with diabetes), the affinity of the insulin receptor NNC2215 increased 3.2-fold, a confirm its ability to respond to changes in blood glucose. levels.

In rat and pig models of diabetes, NNC2215 was shown to be as effective as human insulin in lowering blood sugar.

Its increased sensitivity to glucose has been shown to protect against hypoglycemia in these animals.

This modified insulin shows promise in preventing sudden drops in blood sugar that can have a negative impact on people with diabetes, especially during sleep, which ‘ could improve long-term and short-term problems associated with diabetes, the authors note.