There is an urgent need for new and different medicines for people with type 2 diabetes. Because the disease is not the same for anyone. Researchers are looking at the action of a certain protein, TRIB3.
Now many people with type 2 diabetes receive the same treatment, while it has already become clear that there is a lot of difference between people in how diabetes (and the complications) develop. Better tailored treatment must therefore be provided. One way to do this is by using genetic differences between people, and with new targets for medicines.
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More sensitive to insulin by inhibiting a protein
There is an urgent need for new and different medicines for people with type 2 diabetes. Because the disease is not the same for anyone. Researchers are looking at the action of a certain protein, TRIB3.
Now many people with type 2 diabetes receive the same treatment, while it has already become clear that there is a lot of difference between people in how diabetes (and the complications) develop. Better tailored treatment must therefore be provided. One way to do this is by using genetic differences between people, and with new targets for medicines.
The research
The protein TRIB3 can be such a new target, because it plays a role in the insulin sensitivity of the body. When that protein is slowed down, the body reacts better to insulin. Only that was not possible until now. Dr. Kalkhoven (UMC Utrecht) and his team will develop a method to better map how TRIB3 works.
Expected result
If the researchers know how TRIB3 works, then it can be viewed how it can be slowed down and insulin sensitivity recovers. In doing so, they immediately take into account the genetic variants of TRIB3. As a result, they can focus on gene variants of people with the highest risk of type 2 diabetes at the start of drug development.
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Disclaimer
This project is funded by the ZonMw Partnership Diabetes Programme under Dossier number: 459001006. The project period was 2018-2019.
Contact Details
Dr. Eric Kalkhoven, Center for Molecular Medicine, UMC Utrecht.