INSULIN FROM FISH IN THE OFFING
The possibility of
deriving insulin from Fish is on the anvil. At the Bose Institute,
Kolkata, studies undertaken in this regard revealed that insulin
was released from the Carp adipocyte cells. This has been recovered
and purified. The insulin gene has shown expression in adipocyte
by hybridising Carp adipocyte RNA with Zebra fish and rat insulin
DNA.
The Carp insulin
gene has been cloned and sequenced. It has shown more than 90
per cent homology by nucleotide sequence analysis. The insulin
was found to be very active and showed greater biological activity
than the porcine insulin in rat models. The study further indicated
that fat cells were highly active endocrine cells, serving as
metabolic signals and screening hormones and help in the regulation
of homeostasis.
The finding has shown
the possibility of a promising therapy for diabetes-mellitus.
The success achieved could lead towards the transfer of adipocyte
insulin gene into a suitable host through genetic engineering
for type-II diabetes and insulin-resistance study.
The study is sponsored
by the Department of Biotechnology of the Ministry of Science
and Technology, Government of India.
