Study identifies enzymes that prevent diabetic kidney disease, from Joslin Diabetes Center, 20 May 2019. This study has proven that certain biological protective factors play a large role in preventing diabetic kidney disease in certain people. The study was published online in Diabetes Care.
This study built on the findings from a 2017 Joslin Medalist Study of protective factors and diabetic kidney disease (or DKD). The 2017 study focused on Joslin Medalists—people who have had diabetes for more than 50 years with little to no complications. The Medalists who never developed kidney disease had higher levels of a group of enzymes involved in glucose metabolism than people who did develop kidney disease.
In their new study, Dr. Hetal Shah, Dr. Daniel Gordin and Dr. George King were able to show that protective factors are also present in kidney-disease-free people with shorter-duration type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. This finding indicates that these enzymes, and one in particular known as PKM2, play a strong protective role against kidney disease. The enzymes could be used as both biomarkers and, potentially, targets for DKD intervention.
Read more: Enzymes that prevent diabetic kidney disease
Also from the Joslin Diabetes Center, Researchers identify new novel circulating proteins that are involved in progression of diabetic kidney disease to end stage renal failure. In a breakthrough study published 22 April 2019 in Nature Medicine, researchers at Joslin Diabetes Center have identified a group of 17 circulating inflammatory proteins that are consistently associated with the development and progression of diabetic kidney disease.
These 17 proteins, called the Kidney Risk Inflammatory Signature (KRIS), could allow doctors to determine the risk of progression to end stage renal disease in a patient with diabetic kidney disease. (Note the KRIS protein “signing” his signature!)
“The finding is amazing,” says Andrzej Krolewski, MD, PhD, head of the section on Genetics & Epidemiology at Joslin and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, senior author on the paper. “It looks like inflammatory processes the underlie progression to end stage renal disease are similar across two diabetes types and differing race backgrounds. The disease process is very homogenous.” This finding runs against the assumption that diabetic kidney disease might be heterogeneous disease process.
Unexpectedly, the KRIS proteins did not originate in the kidney. This suggests there are some other processes occurring in disease progression that involve systemic inflammation. The research team also determined that while the causes of both diabetic eye disease and diabetic kidney disease can be traced to inflammation, these KRIS proteins were not linked to the diabetic eye disease.
LifeScan Enters into Agreement with Sanvita Medical to Market and Distribute Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) Devices, as reported by Lifescan, Inc., 21 May 2019. Really?! They are jumping into the fray!
LifeScan, a world leader in blood glucose monitoring and maker of the iconic OneTouch brand, announced it has entered into an exclusive agreement with Sanvita Medical, LLC, to market continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) sensors. Sanvita Medical is a subsidiary of Nova Biomedical Corporation, a world leader focused on accuracy and dependability in advanced technology blood testing analyzers and blood glucose monitoring.
Through this collaboration, the companies plan to launch CGM systems in North America and select countries in Europe as early as mid-next year and then expand into other markets around the world. The new CGM products will integrate with LifeScan’s OneTouch Reveal® digital portfolio, including the OneTouch Reveal® app.
Read more: LifeScan and Sanvita Medical to Market and Distribute CGM
And a shout-out to Diabetogenic on DIY Diabetes! The spectrum of DIY diabetes was written by Renza Scibilia of Diabetogenic (https://diabetogenic.wordpress.com), May 2019 … and it is SPOT ON!
Some people seem to think that if you are interested in DIY Diabetes you must be looping.
This is not the truth. At all. In fact, a lot of people who are really interested in the whole movement have made a very conscious and well-informed decision to not DIY themselves. There are a multitude of reasons for this, but they can all be filed under the banner of ‘My Diabetes; My Rules’ (hats off to Renza for this!).
What is diabetes technology? It’s WHATEVER “brand” works best for you, whether it be an insulin pen and glucose meter, a pump and a CGM or a DIY closed loop system.
ALL diabetes is DIY. It is 24/7 and we do it ourselves for day to day. Call it what you want – DIY or off-label diabetes – it’s just diabetes. And we have no choice other than doing it ourselves.
The Kidney disease article is so important. I am hopeful we will find our best way forward to preventing kidney disease. My mom had diabetes kidney disease and died in large part as a result. I have been fortunate so far but I have felt it was dumb luck and certainly not skill on my part. It might be interesting to know if I am blessed with some some genetic component that helps me to resist kidney disease.
Thanks Rick. I know, really interesting. I’d love to get tested but I’m sure that’s a ways off. So sorry about your mom. Fingers crossed!
Great Info! I have no signs of kidney issues so far (almost 4 decades in). I often attributed this to being a longtime vegetarian amongst other factors. Seems there can be much more to it.
Yeah, Kelly!