New Approach Targets Gut Hormone

A research team led by Dr. Tony Lam at the Toronto General Research Institute and the University of Toronto discovered a novel function of a hormone found in the gut that might potentially lower glucose levels in diabetes.

In this ground-breaking study on a rat model, Dr. Lam's team discovered that activating receptors of the cholecystokinin (CCK) peptide hormone in the gut rapidly and potently lowers blood glucose levels by triggering a signal to the brain and then to the liver to lower glucose or sugar production. In the same experiment, CCK failed to lower blood glucose in rodents fed a high-fat diet for three days.

The research is published as the cover story in the August issue of the internationally prestigious journal Cell Metabolism. The paper is entitled, "Intestinal Cholecystokinin controls Glucose Production through a Neuronal Network"

Read the full article at thediabeticnews.com