Controlling insulin activity in cells with ‘DNA origami’
Insulin–DNA nanorods elicit geometry-dependent insulin activity, which could lead to more targeted treatments for diabetes
DNA–insulin nanoclusters have been created that can deliver a tuneable insulin signalling response in cells. The team from Sweden and Italy showed that the spatial organisation of insulin molecules on DNA nanorods can be used to control insulin–receptor activity. They propose that this technique could be used to develop targeted and more efficient treatments for diabetes.
The goal of insulin therapy is to mimic healthy blood sugar regulation in cells with insulin-resistant receptors. Ana Teixeira, a nanomedicine researcher at the Karolinska Institute, says that their ultimate aim is to develop a treatment that does not depend on a higher dose of insulin to produce a normal receptor response. ‘Can we make new variants of insulin that more effectively take advantage of the preserved activity that these receptors still have?’