The protein the anti-diabetic drug Metformin specifically acts on

An international research team Nagoya University consists of several institutions recently announced that they successfully discovered which protein the anti-diabetic drug Metformin specifically acts on. This is the first time that scientists prove drug effects from the cellular level, and related results have been published in well-known American science journal. The experts say they got the results using recombinant rat proteins that Metformin will strengthen the intracellular material transfer weakened by diabetes through NHE proteins.

Metformin mainly acts on human liver and muscles. Although the drug has been demonstrated to have the effect of reducing blood glucose level, the scientists have been unable to ascertain which protein it acts on in cells.

The research team led by distinguished Professor You Young Jai at Nagoya University confirmed that metformin would act on a protein called NHE. NHE protein acts as a porter which intakes and egresses substance in and out of cells. By controlling pH, the speed of transporting materials can be finely adjusted.

Professor You Young Jai said that Metformin will strengthen the intracellular material transfer weakened by diabetes through NHE proteins.

The researchers used C. elegans to conduct related experiments. When investigating genetic mutation in C. elegans, they found that the C. elegans of NHE proteins can't be produced, and metformin had no effect on it. For Drosophila which is impossible to produce NHE proteins using recombinant DNA technology, metformin was also not effective. Related studies confirm that metformin treats diabetes by acting on NHE proteins. Flarebio offers recombinant proteins of good quality such as recombinant colec12 at great prices.