University of New Hampshire: Venom of cone snail could lead to diabetes treatments

[TexasTowelie]

DURHAM — The tapered cone shell is popular among seashell collectors for its colorful patterns, but the smooth mottled shells are also home to the cone snail which is capable of spewing a potent insulin-like venom that can paralyze its prey. Researchers at the University of New Hampshire have found that variants of this venom, known as cone snail insulin (Con-Ins), could offer future possibilities for developing new fast-acting drugs to help treat diabetics.

“Diabetes is rising at an alarming rate and it’s become increasingly important to find new alternatives for developing effective and budget-friendly drugs for patients suffering with the disease,” said Harish Vashisth, associate professor of chemical engineering.

“Our work found that the modeled Con-Ins variants, or analogs, bind even better to receptors in the body than the human hormone and may work faster which could make them a favorable option for stabilizing blood sugar levels and a potential for new therapeutics.”

In their study, recently published in the journal Proteins: Structure, Function, and Bioinformatics, researchers looked more closely at the cone snail venom which induces a hypoglycemic reaction that lowers blood sugar levels. Unlike insulin made in the body, the venom’s peptide sequence — which allows it to bind to human insulin receptors — is much shorter.

Read more: https://www.conwaydailysun.com/news/local/unh-venom-of-cone-snail-could-lead-to-diabetes-treatments/article_71ebc888-48c0-11ec-a0d9-df67eed899ea.html

[TreasonousBastard]

1. Beats dealing with assault.

[bucolic_frolic]

2. "Budget-friendly" yes that will be so popular that Big Pharma will be sure to bury it in the crib

[Happy Hoosier]

3. I'm not a biochemist, so I can't tell...

... but my main concern would be the other metabolic effects of using a treatment like this.

A major problem with using insulin in T2D patients is that it's a bit of a downward spiral without some fairly dramatic dietary changes. Insulin isn't just the hormone that regulates glucose uptake, it is involved in a number of metabolic processes including fat storage. It's difficult for a T2D patient to lose weight while using insulin injections because the use of insulin tends to exacerbate insulin resistance, requiring more and more use over time, and that leads to all kinds of complications from hyperinsulinemia.

If the use of this venom can encourage glucose uptake without the other metabolic effects of insulin, it could very well be an effective treatment for insulin resistance, especially when aired with dietary changes. The key is treating the insulin resistance, however, and NOT just lowering blood glucose levels. I mean, keeping blood glucose in the safe region is important, but it's more of a dangerous symptom than a cause.