

Researchers trigger insulin production in diabetic mice - ingenium
http://www.biologynews.net/archives/2008/01/08/protein_power_researchers_trigger_insulin_production_in_diabetic_mice.html

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ingenium
This basically is a cure for diabetes. Basically, part of the protein acts as
a recognition site for transporters into the cell and into the nucleus. I
assume the protein itself is a transcription factor which will activate genes
required for cell differentiation. This will trigger stem cells or partially
differentiated cells into becoming insulin producing cells.

The effects of this treatment should be permanent. That is unless they get
destroyed by the same mechanism that destroyed the original insulin producing
cells. Even so, as the article states, an infrequent injection will cause more
to be produced.

It's a very interesting approach. I hope more research goes into designing
custom versions of these, as I imagine this can be used in other applications
in place of gene therapy. Current transcription factors can probably be used
with the addition of the signal peptide appended to the end to allow for
transport.

