Key points from article :
Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania's School of Dental Medicine, led by Henry Daniell, have created a plant-based insulin derived from lettuce.
The plant-based proinsulin contains the three peptides found in naturally occurring insulin and can be administered orally.
In a trial on mice, the insulin was able to regulate blood sugar within 15 minutes, similar to naturally secreted insulin, reducing the risk of hypoglycemia that can occur with traditional insulin injections.
The creation of this insulin involves a complex process of genetic engineering where human insulin genes are incorporated into the plant's genome, and over generations, plants are selectively bred from seeds that retain the insulin-producing blueprint.
The lettuce containing the insulin genes can be freeze-dried, ground, and prepared for oral delivery.
This approach significantly reduces post-production costs, such as cold storage throughout the transportation process, required for insulin production using traditional methods.
The team plans to continue their research with a larger trial involving diabetic dogs before moving onto human trials.
Daniell stresses the potential for this affordable and accessible plant-based therapy to change the paradigm for not only insulin delivery but a wide range of conditions, highlighting the importance of global healthcare access.
Research by University of Pennsylvania published in the journal Biomaterials.
