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Scientists have synthesised an insulin molecule with an “on-and-off switch” that automatically responds to glucose levels in the blood. The research was published in the journal Nature. The synthesised modified molecule, called NNC2215, was tested in pigs and rats, and was discovered to be as good as natural insulin in humans.
The NNC2215 molecule consists of two major parts in its structure- a ring-shaped structure called a macrocycle, and a modified glucose molecule called glucoside. When glucose levels in the blood are low, the glucoside activates and binds to the macrocycle, keeping the insulin molecule 'closed' in an inactive state. But when the glucose levels go up, the sugar molecules in the blood displace the glucoside and change the shape of the synthetic insulin molecule. This causes the “switch” to turn on, triggering the release of insulin.
Source: Nature, 2024
