AAAS: Study on dolphin ability to switch on and off diabetes could lead to human cure

[FarCenter]

Dolphins have the unique ability to turn off and on diabetes, scientists have discovered, in a breakthrough that could lead to a treatment and cure for the disease in humans.

By Richard Alleyne, Science Correspondent in San Diego
Published: 8:44AM GMT 19 Feb 2010

Dolphins can induce diabetes when there is little food around and turn it off when food is abundant Photo: PHOTOLIBRARY
Researchers found that the mammal can induce the condition when there is little food around and turn it off when food is abundant.

They believe it is a unique ability in the animal kingdom and results from the mammal’s need to maintain high blood sugar levels to feed its big brain.

But they also believe it is an ability that humans have lost through evolution and that studying dolphins could lead to techniques to re-activate it.

“Diabetes now accounts for five per cent of human deaths globally,” said Dr Stephanie Venn-Watson, a veterinary epidemiologist and director of Clinical Research at the National Marine Mammal Foundation in San Diego.

“It is our hope that this discovery can lead to novel ways to prevent, treat and maybe even cure diabetes in humans.”

More than 2.5 million people in Britain suffer from the condition, which can lead to serious complications including blindness.

Experts predict that up to four million Britons could be diabetic by 2025, in part because of the obesity crisis.

Dr Venn-Watson, who revealed her findings at the American Association for the Advancement of Science, made the discovery while researching dolphins off the San Diego coast.

By taking regular blood samples of the dolphins, she discovered that they could induce type II diabetes at times of fasting and then almost immediately turn it off again when food became available.

She believes that the ability dates back to when dolphins reverted from land animals to sea animals 55 million years ago and had to adapt to a protein-only fish diet.

<SNIP>http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/7269309/AAAS-Study-on-dolphin-ability-to-switch-on-and-off-diabetes-could-lead-to-human-cure.html

[deaniac21]

1. I just wish I could swim like that!

[KamaAina]

2. This dolphin enthusiast says (click click squeak squeak squeeeeeak clickclickclick)

or in Human, Hurray!

Wonder what else they have to teach us?

[BeatleBoot]

3. Gives a new meaning to "Flipper"

you know Flipper the old show from the 1960's

and their new ability to "flip a switch" and turn off diabetes

get it?

hey, (tap, tap, tap) is this thing on?

[Wilms]

4. k&r n/t

[Scout]

5. veeeeery interesting....

"they could induce type II diabetes at times of fasting and then almost immediately turn it off again when food became available"

[onestepforward]

6. K&R!