Bean plant polymer for treating diabetes

17-Sep-2013 - China

Researchers in China have developed a new class of glucose-responsive polymer nanogels using a protein extracted from beans that could potentially lead to self-regulating insulin carriers for the treatment of diabetes.

Currently, patients of type 1 and advanced type 2 diabetes must self-monitor their glucose levels and subsequently self-administer insulin to keep these levels balanced. This not only impinges on the patients’ quality of life, but also means that their insulin doses are not precisely controlled.

Using ConA as a key component – a plant lectin protein extracted from Jack beans that recognises glucose through a conformational change – the scientists produced a novel polymer nanogel that can undergo reversible and rapid volume phase transition to deliver the required amounts of insulin in response to fluctuations in blood glucose levels. The new gels show higher stabilities than any previously reported and could effectively modulate the in vitro delivery of pre-loaded insulin, negating the need for patients to monitor their glucose levels.