DIABETES could be triggered by a rogue prion-like protein, according to a
controversial new theory.
Garth Cooper, a molecular biologist at the University of Auckland, believes
that adult onset or type II diabetes, which affects tens of millions of people
worldwide, is caused by the misfolding of a protein called amylin. If he’s
right, it could be possible to create a “vaccine” to prevent the disease. “If it
works, it may even allow the insulin-producing cells to regrow,” says
Cooper.
Like insulin, amylin is produced by beta cells in the pancreas. It helps to
regulate glucose use in muscles. At…
