IN THE NEWS

Microscopy Innovations Open Possibility of Better Diabetes Treatments

Recent innovations in microscopy and other fields could help researchers better understand a type of receptor in the body, potentially leading to more effective treatments for type 2 diabetes. Enhanced imaging of molecules involved in blood sugar control may help improve type 2 diabetes treatments in the future. Recent research by investigators from the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom has used innovative technology to uncover more information about a key molecule, and this new understanding could have applications in the treatment of metabolic diseases. The researchers focused on obtaining better images of the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP1R) that is present on specialized cells, called beta cells, of the pancreas and on certain brain cells that produce insulin. GLP1R can help regulate blood sugar by stimulating the specialized cells to produce more insulin. So far, many of GLP1R’s various characteristics and functions have remained unclear because its minute size has made it difficult to image. Now the team from the University of Birmingham and other international institutions have managed to use innovative, sophisticated microscopy to learn more about GLP1R. The researchers used super-resolution microscopy alongside an advanced moleculetracking technique called immunostaining and experiments in mouse models to learn more about GLP1R. They discovered where these receptors are located on cells and how they react to certain signal molecules. This enabled the team to map and present a comprehensive compilation of updated information about GLP1R, including more accurate indications about how to detect the molecules presence.

“Our research allows us to visualize this key receptor in much more detail than before,” said senior study author Prof. David Hodson, University of Birmingham. “Think about watching a movie in standard definition vs. 4K. That’s how big the difference is. We believe this breakthrough will give us a much greater understanding of GLP1R distribution and function. While this will not immediately change treatment for patients, it might influence how we design drugs in the future.” The researchers credit their interdisciplinary approach using innovative tools for their breakthrough in visualizing GLP1R. “Our experiments, made possible by combining expertise in chemistry and cell biology, will improve our understanding of GLP1R in the pancreas and the brain,” said co-author Johannes Broichhagen, Ph.D., from the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research in Heidelberg, Germany. “Our new tools have been used in stem cells and in living animals to visualize this important receptor, and we provide the first super-resolution characterization of such molecules.” Their results were published Jan. 24 in the journal Nature Communications.

By Angela S. Hoover, Staff Writer

Burying, Burning Garbage Can Send Antibiotic-Resistance Bacteria into the Air

Most municipal solid waste – plastic, food scraps and lawn clippings that aren’t recycled – is buried in landfills or incinerated. New research by the American Chemical Society (ACS) shows when disposed of this way, municipal solid waste can be an important source of antibiotic-resistance bacteria in the air. Residual antibiotics from discarded medications can be found in the waste and some microbes are resistant to those antibiotics, so they can spread resistance genes to other bacteria, allowing them to survive in the presence of these drugs. Scientists had not previously studied whether this waste releases these bacteria and genes into the air for people and animals to breathe. Researchers investigated the bacterial community and associated antibiotic-resistance genes in the municipal solid waste treatment system of Changzhou, a city in eastern China. Air samples collected around a landfill site, a municipal waste incinerator and two transfer stations where garbage is delivered and processed showed higher levels of particulate matter and bacteria, and 16 antibiotic-resistance genes were identified. These genes were much more abundant in air downwind from the facilities, which suggests the municipal waste treatment systems could be a reservoir of antibiotic-resistance genes that can be transmitted to nearby residents who breathe the air, according to the researchers. Their findings were published March 25 in the ACS’ journal Environmental Science & Technology.

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