Blood Sugar Regulating Hormone From Marine Cone Snail Venom

Innovation: Academia

University of Utah

2019

Regulate Cellular Processes

Cells are the basic building blocks of all living systems, so cellular processes dictate how physiological processes occur within those systems. Cells (whether entire unicellular organisms or parts of multicellular living systems) grow, metabolize nutrients (that is, chemically transform them), produce proteins and enzymes, replicate, and move. Cells as part of multicellular systems rarely act alone, instead having ways to signal to start and complete simple to quite complex interactions. How skin heals is a good example of the role of cellular processes. Blood cells called platelets release clotting factors to stop the bleeding; white blood cells rid the area of foreign materials and release molecules to coordinate healing; cells called fibroblasts start rebuilding using proteins called collagen; new blood vessels form; and skin cells called keratinocytes create the new surface.

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Maintain Homeostasis

When a living system is in homeostasis, it means that internal conditions are stable and relatively constant. For example, a human’s internal temperature is approximately 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit) unless there’s an illness. The human body maintains this temperature despite external ambient temperature. However, as with all physiological processes, maintaining homeostasis requires communication and coordination. So living systems have ways to detect changes from the norm, mechanisms to cause an adjustment, and negative feedback connections between the two. A desert lizard called the Gila monster offers a good example of maintaining homeostasis. The lizard goes from eating large meals to fasting for extended time periods. To maintain its blood sugar levels at a steady level, when food is scarce, its endocrine system releases a hormone that raises its blood sugar levels.

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Insulin from marine cone snail venom has a unique structure that enables it to more rapidly control blood sugar.

Benefits

Faster-acting insulin
Responsive

Applications

Medical treatment

UN Sustainable Development Goals Addressed

Goal 3: Good Health & Wellbeing

The Challenge

Millions of people suffer from Type-1 diabetes, a disease in which the body cannot produce , a that helps control blood sugar. In order to stay healthy, patients must take daily insulin injections to maintain stable blood sugar levels. Unfortunately, common insulin products often have a delay in their effects, making it challenging for users to predict and accurately control their blood sugar.

Innovation Details

Human insulin contains two parts, A and B chains. The B chain enables the body to store insulin for later use and provides a signal for the body to start taking up sugar from the blood. Manufactured insulin contains the B chain in order to active the receptors, but this also delays how quickly the drug can start working. Researchers discovered a new type of insulin from marine cone snail venom that does not contain a B chain. Without this sticky B chain, the insulin can act faster. This insulin is also able to activate human insulin receptors, although it is 10-20 times less potent than human insulin.

Biological Model

Marine cone snails catch food by injecting a potent venom that paralyzes the prey. The venom contains over 200 different compounds, one of which is insulin. It works by lowering the prey’s blood sugar effectively and rapidly, causing it to go into hypoglycemic shock.

See Related Strategy

a light brown and beige striped cone snail on a sandy bottom floor has a white striped fireworm halfway consumed in its shell

Biological Strategy

Venom Induces Paralysis in Prey

Cloth-of-gold cone

Conus victoriae cone snails catch food by injecting a potent venom that renders prey paralyzed.

References

Journal article

Fish-hunting cone snail venoms are a rich source of minimized ligands of the vertebrate insulin receptor

eLife

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