Exosomes Could Be The Solution To Diabetes
A study found exosomes to be the reason for insulin resistance that causes type 2 diabetes. Exosomes are vesicles that the cells secrete through the plasma membranes. What lead to this discovery was fluorescing of the cells, to follow the movement of the exosomes and their microRNAs from the adipose tissue to liver tissues. Most of adipose tissue in obesity is made of macrophages that secrete these exosomes. The miRNAs carried by the exosomes then go looking for RNA to inactivate it, and therefore RNA can not make the protein it was coded for.
The study took what they found a step further and tested it in mice. They took macrophages from obese mice to get the exosomes. The acquired exosomes were then put into healthy mice to see what the effects would be. Just as it was predicted, once the healthy mice were given the exosomes of the obese mice they gained an obesity induced insulin resistance. The researchers then took exosomes from the healthy mice and induced it into the obese mice. The results showed that not only did the mice gain insulin sensitivity, but they were metabolically healthy as well. In addition to that an in vitro study was done with human liver and fat cells. The cells were given obese exosomes and they grew an insulin resistance and then they were given lean exosomes and they gained back the sensitivity.
The researches mentioned that the next step to this study is to sequence the exosomes and find what miRNAs are linked to causing diabetes. With a known sequence, people could also be told what their probability of getting diabetes is in the long term and short term or even know what is wrong with their liver without having to go in surgically. They hope that following up with this study will give them not only answer to diabetes, but also other complications with obesity.
Reference
“Exosomes Are the Missing Link to Insulin Resistance in Diabetes.” ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily, 21 Sept. 207ADAD, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/09/170921141159.htm.
The study took what they found a step further and tested it in mice. They took macrophages from obese mice to get the exosomes. The acquired exosomes were then put into healthy mice to see what the effects would be. Just as it was predicted, once the healthy mice were given the exosomes of the obese mice they gained an obesity induced insulin resistance. The researchers then took exosomes from the healthy mice and induced it into the obese mice. The results showed that not only did the mice gain insulin sensitivity, but they were metabolically healthy as well. In addition to that an in vitro study was done with human liver and fat cells. The cells were given obese exosomes and they grew an insulin resistance and then they were given lean exosomes and they gained back the sensitivity.
The researches mentioned that the next step to this study is to sequence the exosomes and find what miRNAs are linked to causing diabetes. With a known sequence, people could also be told what their probability of getting diabetes is in the long term and short term or even know what is wrong with their liver without having to go in surgically. They hope that following up with this study will give them not only answer to diabetes, but also other complications with obesity.
Reference
“Exosomes Are the Missing Link to Insulin Resistance in Diabetes.” ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily, 21 Sept. 207ADAD, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/09/170921141159.htm.
This was really interesting. I've learned about exosomes in class before, but never really paid much attention to it, so it was nice to actually learn about exosomes. The study I wrote about also had tested on mice/rats. It's crazy how many things get tested on animals.
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