Researchers have discovered that estrogen, female hormones also present in men, protects against diabetes thanks to a protein.
- Estrogen helps stimulate endothelial cells that deliver insulin throughout the body.
- Without estrogen receptors and the SNX5 protein, estrogen has no impact on endothelial cells.
- Ultimately, these discoveries could enable the development of new treatments.
Men are more affected by diabetes than women in mainland France, according to Public Health France. Could this have something to do with hormones? Yes, according to a new study published in the journal Nature Communications.
SNX5, the protein that allows estrogen to act
The researchers of theUT Southwestern Medical Center discovered the key role of a protein, called sorting nexin 5 (SNX5). It allows estrogens, female sex hormones also present in men, to stimulate endothelial cells.
Endothelial cells are present in blood vessels and deliver insulin – a hormone that regulates sugar levels – to muscles. They thus participate in the control of insulin and protect against type 2 diabetes. According to researchers, estrogens stimulate endothelial cells thanks to SNX5.
“This study in mice shows a new mechanism that improves the delivery of insulin to the muscles, where 80% of the glucose present in the body is eliminated“, explain Philip Shaulone of the authors, in a communicated.
SNX5 as important as receptors estrogen
During their work, the scientists first confirmed the essential role of estrogen receptors which, in this case, allow estrogen to attach to endothelial cells. To do this, they removed them from mouse cells. Result: estrogens no longer had any antidiabetic action, which therefore confirms the essential role of estrogen receptors.
Second step: understand the importance of estrogen action. To do this, they stimulated estrogen receptors in cultured cells. They thus observed that this stimulation facilitated the movement of insulin, via blood circulation, to the skeletal muscles, the main muscles of the human body, which allow posture and movement. These muscles are also those which consume the vast majority of the glucose present in the body. This therefore means that estrogen is essential for delivering insulin to these muscles and helping to lower overall sugar levels in the body.
Finally, the scientists studied the SNX5 protein more specifically. They thus discovered its fundamental role in controlling blood sugar levels. Indeed, when SNX5 is deactivated in endothelial cells, they obtained the same result as when removing estrogen receptors. In other words, SNX5 is as essential as the receptors for estrogen to have antidiabetic action.
The scientists plan to continue their work in the hope of eventually being able to use their knowledge of estrogens and SNX5 to develop new treatments.
In 2020, more than 3.5 million French people were treated with medication for diabetes, or 5.3% of the population, according to Santé Publique France.
