This Brain Hormone May Control Blood Sugar Without Insulin: Study Suggests - Video

An analysis published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation has revealed new insights into how the hormone leptin might be used to manage diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a serious and potentially fatal complication of type 1 diabetes. The research, based on over a decade of findings including work from UW Medicine, shows that leptin may help regulate blood sugar levels even in the absence of insulin—challenging long-standing beliefs in diabetes care.

Diabetic ketoacidosis occurs when the body lacks insulin and begins breaking down fat for energy, leading to a dangerous buildup of glucose and ketoacids in the bloodstream. Traditionally, insulin has been the only effective treatment. However, this new analysis points to the brain—and specifically, the hormone leptin—as a key regulator in this process.

Leptin, produced by fat cells and transported to the brain, plays a role in controlling appetite and energy balance. According to senior author Dr. Michael Schwartz, professor of medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine, when insulin is absent, "the brain gets the message that the body is out of fuel, even if it's not. This information is being communicated in part by a low blood level of the hormone leptin."

Schwartz and his team first explored this idea in 2011 by injecting leptin directly into the brains of rats and mice with type 1 diabetes. Surprisingly, within four days, their blood sugar and ketone levels normalized, despite having virtually no insulin. "I think the most amazing thing is that the blood sugars just didn't come down, but that the levels stayed down," said Schwartz.

At the time, the discovery was largely overlooked. Now, with a deeper understanding of the mechanism, Schwartz plans to seek FDA approval for human trials. If successful, this could lead to a paradigm shift in how type 1 diabetes is treated—potentially without insulin.

The findings suggest the brain, not just the pancreas, could be a key target in future diabetes therapies, offering hope for millions worldwide.

Reference: https://newsroom.uw.edu/news-releases/brain-might-become-target-of-new-type-1-diabetes-treatments