The research team demonstrated that the major downstream path used by insulin to control the genes is also related to the pathways that control the metabolization of nutrients, as reported by

U.S. scientists have identified a protein as an important partner in the insulin-mediated uptake of glucose by cells, advancing type 2 diabetes research.

A study led by researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) has shown that a protein found in fat cells is a newly discovered cause of insulin resistance, establishing a previously unidentified molecular link between obesity and type 2 diabetes and offering a potential new target for the development of drugs to treat diabetes. The findings appear in the July 21, 2005, issue of the journal Nature.

We investigated the role of hepatic SH2-containing inositol 5'- phosphatase 2 (SHIP2) in glucose metabolism in mice. Adenoviral vectors encoding wild-type SHIP2 (WT-SHIP2) and a dominant-negative SHIP2 (ΔIP-SHIP2) were injected via the tail vein into db/+m and db/db mice, respectively.

Partial restoration of insulin receptor Insr expression in brain, liver, and pancreatic β cells is sufficient for rescuing Insr knockout mice from neonatal death, preventing diabetes ketoacidosis, and normalizing life span and reproductive function.