Scientists are finding clues for how to treat diabetes and hormone disorders in an unexpected place: a toxin from one of the most venomous animals on the planet. A multinational research team led by University of Utah scientists has identified a component within the venom of a deadly marine cone snail, the geography cone, that mimics a human hormone called somatostatin, which regulates the levels of blood sugar and various hormones in the body. The hormone-like toxin's specific, long-lasting effects, which help the snail hunt its prey, could also help scientists design better drugs for people with diabetes or hormone disorders, conditions that can be serious and sometimes fatal.
The results published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Communications on August 20, 2024. A blueprint for better drugs The somatostatin-like toxin the researchers characterized could hold the key to improving medications for people with diabetes and hormone disorders. Somatostatin acts like a brake pedal for many processes in the human body, preventing the levels of blood sugar, various hormones, and many other important molecules from rising dangerously high.
The cone snail toxin, called consomatin, works similarly, the researchers found-;but consomatin is more stable and specific than the human hormone, which makes it a promising blueprint for drug design. By measuring how consomatin interacts with somatostatin's targets in human cells in a dish, the researchers found that consomatin interacts wi.