New blood sugar lowering hormone discovered in fat cells

Researchers from the University of Texas have discovered a new hormone that significantly lowers blood glucose levels.
The research comes from a study into mice which showed that the mice had remarkably low blood glucose levels. The researchers had been manipulating fat stem cells and the outcomes showed that the changes had led to the muscles in these mice taking glucose from the blood at 2 to 4 times the normal rate.
The researchers found that the changes they had made in the mice stem cells had led to the muscles of the mice having an abundance of glucose transporters at the surface of the muscle, ready to uptake glucose from the blood. They noted that insulin response was normal in the mice and not responsible for the surprising decrease in blood sugar.
The study shows promise for further investigating the hormonal cues occurring between fat and muscle tissue in lowering blood glucose levels, and could provide alternative treatments for diabetes. Dr Jonathan Graff, who led the study states: “If we can purify this factor and give it to people, there is potential for its use to lower and help control blood sugar.”