A recent study revealed the basic mechanisms of insulin production in the beta cells located in the pancreas, which manufacture insulin, and identified the receptor responsible for insulin degradation, which is known as the insulin inhibitory receptor, or “inceptor.” It is believed that this receptor will constitute a potential target for new treatments to increase insulin storage and secretion in human beta cells.
Professor Heiko Likert – Director of the Institute for Diabetes Research and Regeneration at Helmholtz Munich in Germany, Professor at the Technical University of Munich, and a member of the German Center for Diabetes Research – in collaboration with his team discovered the future “Inceptor” in 2021 and described its role as an inhibitor of the insulin signaling pathway.
Both Inceptor and the insulin receptor are located on the surface of beta cells. Inceptor can block the action of the insulin receptor, thus reducing the cells’ sensitivity to insulin. The current study – the results of which were published in the journal Nature Metabolism on November 25 – goes further, as it shows that Inceptor binds to excess insulin inside beta cells and directs it towards degradation. “This knowledge about Inceptor’s function gives us a deeper understanding of how beta cells regulate their insulin balance,” says Heiko Likert, according to Eurek Alert.
Regeneration of damaged beta cells
The increased presence of Inceptor in beta cells suggests that the receptor plays a role in insulin secretion, which is regulated by beta cells. This process is often disrupted in diabetes, and this leads to high blood sugar levels. By blocking Inceptor’s action, researchers were able to refill insulin stores in beta cells, enhance insulin release, and prevent beta cell death. “Especially in cells that are already damaged, inactivating Inceptor can help boost insulin production and protect beta cells,” Likert explains.
Hope for people with type 2 diabetes
The results suggest that specifically targeting Inceptor could be a promising strategy for improving the function of insulin-producing cells in people with diabetes. “Our goal is to develop new drugs that support insulin balance in cells and prolong their life, based on our discovery,” Likert says.
This treatment can especially help individuals in the early stages of type 2 diabetes slow the progression of the disease and reduce the risk of complications.
From the laboratory to the clinic…a startup company for new treatments for diabetes
To translate these findings from the laboratory into real-world applications, Likert founded a startup that is developing drugs that specifically inhibit Inceptor to protect or regenerate beta cells. Studies in the laboratory and experimental animals are initially needed before moving on to human trials to test the safety and effectiveness of these new therapeutic approaches. “Our goal is to pave the way for human trials and thus contribute to the treatment of diabetes, and hopefully even a cure for it,” Likert says.