The discovery focuses on a gene known as SMOC1, which plays an essential role in regulating cell functions Pancreas Responsible for producing hormones that regulate blood sugar levels.

In healthy people, it is active SMOC1 gene Only in alpha cells, which secrete the hormone “glucagon” responsible for raising blood sugar levels. However, researchers noticed that this gene also becomes active in the beta cells of people with the disease Diabetes Of the second type, they are the cells responsible for secretion Al Surinnron Which lowers blood sugar level.

This defect leads to the reprogramming of beta cells to transform into cells similar to alpha cells, losing their normal function, which impairs their ability to produce Al Surinnron Its secretion is one of the hallmarks of diabetes.

Dr. Jiming Lore, a researcher at the City of Hope Foundation in the United States, explained, “SMOC1 gene Be active in Alpha cells “In healthy people, we also noticed that it appears in beta cells in diabetics, which is completely abnormal.”

The research team used sequencing technology RNA Single-cell analysis of tissue samples Pancreas Taken from 26 donors, half of whom had the disease Diabetes Of the second type. This advanced approach allowed researchers to identify cell types with high precision and map the abnormal pathways that lead to beta cells losing their identity and function.

After analyzing the data, the researchers identified five subtypes of alpha cells, including immature AB cells, which can develop into alpha cells Alpha cells Or beta. When SMOC1 protein levels were increased in beta cells in vitro, researchers observed a clear decrease in beta cell production Al Surinnron Cells transform into other abnormal types.

Final tests showed that SMOC1 levels were much higher in diabetics and were found within the beta cells themselves, confirming its direct role in the development of the disease.

Dr. Randy Kang, co-researcher of the study, noted:SMOC1 gene “It has not been previously studied in the context of diabetes, but its results show a strong effect on beta cell differentiation and function.”

The researchers believe that targeting this gene pharmacologically may provide a new treatment that addresses the root cause of the disease, rather than simply regulating blood sugar levels as current drugs such as Ozembic and GLP-1 receptor agonists do.

Although Gene therapies While targeting SMOC1 is still in its early stages, this discovery paves the way for the development of drugs capable of protecting beta cells and preserving their ability to produce insulin, which may stop or reverse the development of the disease in the future.

The study was published in the journal Nature Communications.