Oxygen Treatment and Diabetes: A Promising Lead with Limitations
Researchers at the University of Missouri are investigating new therapies that target specific cells involved in cardiovascular and metabolic disorders like high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. These cells, known as chemoreceptors, detect oxygen levels in the body. Consequently, scientists are exploring whether manipulating oxygen levels could influence chemoreceptor activity, leading to improvements in cardiovascular and metabolic health.
Hyperoxia: A Potential Therapy?
“Exciting studies in rats indicate that removing these chemoreceptors when they become overactive can alleviate issues like high blood pressure and high blood sugar,” said Jacqueline Limberg, lead author and associate professor of nutrition and exercise physiology. “Before considering complete removal in patients, we theorized that high doses of oxygen might reduce or ‘switch off’ chemoreceptor activity, ultimately improving health outcomes.”
In a study involving 17 people with type 2 diabetes and 20 control participants, researchers found that peripheral chemoreceptors were indeed overactive in adults with diabetes, with the highest activity levels observed in patients who had the highest blood sugar. After exposure to hyperoxia – a state of high oxygen levels – chemoreceptor activity decreased, along with heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing rate. Interestingly, these effects were similar in both groups.
However, there was no significant impact on glucose tolerance or insulin sensitivity after hyperoxia treatment.
Future Directions and Implications for Diabetics
“Our goal was to understand how peripheral chemoreceptors contribute to the cardiovascular and metabolic challenges of type 2 diabetes,” said Camila Manrique-Acevedo, co-author and professor of medicine. “This study reveals that a single session of hyperoxia doesn’t immediately improve function. This valuable information allows us to focus on other promising therapies for patients with type 2 diabetes.”
Reference: “Role of the peripheral chemoreceptors in cardiovascular and metabolic control in type 2 diabetes” by Jacqueline K. Limberg, Elizabeth P. Ott, Aubrey M. Pipkins, Eric C. Lis, Anna M. Gonsalves, Jennifer L. Harper and Camila Manrique-Acevedo, 28 August 2024, The Journal of Physiology.
DOI: 10.1113/JP286975
Jacqueline Limberg, PhD is an associate professor of nutrition and exercise physiology, with appointments in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources. Camila Manrique-Acevedo, MD is a professor of medicine and the Thomas W. Burns, MD, Distinguished Professor in Diabetes at the School of Medicine. She is also a NextGen Precision Health investigator.
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