Synthesis and Hypoglycemic Effect of Insulin from the Venom of Sea Anemone

Overview

Journal Mar Drugs

Publisher MDPI

Specialties Biology
Pharmacology

Date 2024 Mar 27

PMID 38535452

Authors

Qiqi Guo

Tianle Tang

Jingyue Lu

Meiling Huang

Junqing Zhang

Linlin Ma

Bingmiao Gao

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Sea anemone venom, abundant in protein and peptide toxins, serves primarily for predatory defense and competition. This study delves into the insulin-like peptides (ILPs) present in sea anemones, particularly focusing on their role in potentially inducing hypoglycemic shock in prey. We identified five distinct ILPs in , exhibiting varied sequences. Among these, ILP-Ap04 was successfully synthesized using solid phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) to evaluate its hypoglycemic activity. When tested in zebrafish, ILP-Ap04 significantly reduced blood glucose levels in a model of diabetes induced by streptozotocin (STZ) and glucose, concurrently affecting the normal locomotor behavior of zebrafish larvae. Furthermore, molecular docking studies revealed ILP-Ap04's unique interaction with the human insulin receptor, characterized by a detailed hydrogen-bonding network, which supports a unique mechanism for its hypoglycemic effects. Our findings suggest that sea anemones have evolved sophisticated strategies to activate insulin receptors in vertebrates, providing innovative insights into the design of novel drugs for the treatment of diabetes.

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