Smart probiotics can sense high blood sugar and release GLP-1 on demand
For people living with diabetes, managing blood sugar can mean constantly watching the clock, keeping meals and medications on schedule and staying alert to changes in glucose levels. While little can be done about timed meals, researchers have developed a biological system that detects rising blood sugar levels and automatically responds by releasing medication to bring glucose back down.
Scientists have developed an innovative oral probiotic treatment called GIFT, which can sense high blood sugar levels and automatically release GLP-1 on demand. This smart probiotic, created by researchers at the Shanghai Academy of Natural Sciences, is made from engineered probiotic bacteria that carry a built-in glucose sensor.
Once ingested, the probiotics temporarily reside in the intestine, and when they detect blood sugar levels rising above normal, they switch on therapeutic genes to produce and release GLP-1, a hormone that helps lower blood sugar levels. In a recent study published in Nature, researchers demonstrated that diabetic mice treated with GIFT showed improved glycemic control, reduced insulin resistance, better cholesterol profiles, and weight reduction.
The probiotic's effectiveness was further tested in naturally diabetic monkeys, where it successfully maintained blood sugar control for up to three days following a single oral dose. The researchers believe that GIFT could revolutionize diabetes care by providing a smart, on-demand dosing system that only activates when a person's blood sugar is high, potentially reducing the risk of adverse reactions associated with current diabetes injections.
However, clinical safety and stability testing, as well as regulatory approval, are required before this innovative treatment can be used in the clinic.
Written by urgent.news from Medical Xpress's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
