Prof. Heiko Lickert, a leading expert in diabetes research, has made significant progress in understanding how beta cells regulate insulin production, offering new hope for diabetes treatment. Lickert, director of the Institute of Diabetes and Regeneration Research at Helmholtz Munich, professor at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), and a member of the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), led a team that made a groundbreaking discovery in 2021. The team identified a protein called Inceptor, which plays a crucial role in controlling the insulin signaling pathway in beta cells.
Beta cells, found in the pancreas, are responsible for producing insulin. Inceptor and the insulin receptor are both located on the surface of these cells. Inceptor acts as an inhibitor, blocking the insulin receptor and reducing the cell’s sensitivity to insulin. This disruption weakens the insulin signaling pathway. The team’s new study goes a step further, revealing that Inceptor also binds excess insulin within the beta cell and directs it toward degradation.
“This new understanding of Inceptor’s function helps us better grasp how beta cells maintain their insulin balance,” Lickert explains.
Regenerating Damaged Beta Cells
The increased presence of Inceptor in beta cells suggests it plays a key role in insulin secretion, a process that is often impaired in individuals with diabetes. In these patients, damaged beta cells can no longer produce or release enough insulin, leading to high blood sugar levels. By inhibiting Inceptor, Lickert and his team were able to restore insulin stores in beta cells, enhance insulin release, and even prevent beta cell death.
This finding offers new possibilities for treating diabetes, particularly for those in the early stages of type 2 diabetes. By targeting Inceptor, researchers could potentially improve the function of insulin-producing cells, slow the progression of the disease, and reduce the risk of complications.
A Promising Path for Type 2 Diabetes Treatment
Lickert sees great potential in targeting Inceptor as a strategy for improving the health of insulin-producing beta cells. “Our goal is to develop new therapies that help regulate the insulin balance in these cells, prolonging their survival,” he says. This approach could particularly benefit people in the early stages of type 2 diabetes, where beta cell dysfunction is just beginning.
From Laboratory to Real-World Impact: A New Start-Up
To bring these discoveries to clinical applications, Lickert has founded a start-up focused on developing drugs that specifically block Inceptor to protect and regenerate beta cells. The company is working on preclinical studies to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of these potential therapies.
“Our aim is to pave the way for clinical trials, ultimately contributing to better treatments and, hopefully, even a cure for diabetes,” Lickert adds.
This research marks an exciting step forward in diabetes care, with the potential to transform the lives of millions of people affected by the disease.
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