Liver hormone key to insulin resistance

KANAZAWA, Japan, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- A liver hormone has been identified as a cause of insulin resistance, in which the body produces insulin but does not use it properly, researchers in Japan say.

Researchers at Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Science in Japan suggest the liver may offer a new avenue of treatment for insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.

The studies in mice suggest a causal connection between a hormone produced by the liver and insulin resistance. Normal mice given the hormone became insulin resistant and their blood sugar levels rose. A treatment blocking the hormone's activity in the livers of diabetic and obese mice improved their sensitivity to insulin and lowered blood sugar levels.

However, the researchers note the liver does not act alone in the development of insulin resistance. Fat tissue is a main contributor to the development of insulin resistance by producing fat-derived hormones called adipokines. The connection between the liver hormone and adipokine production, the researchers say, will be the subject of further investigation.

The findings are published in the journal Cell Metabolism.