Fat cells aid in the body's insulin secret

ST. LOUIS, Nov. 7 (UPI) -- A U.S. study has determined, for the first time, the body's fat cells help the pancreas secrete insulin.

Researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis said their discovery of the previously unrecognized process might lead to new methods of improving glucose metabolism in Type 2 diabetic or insulin-resistant people.

In the study using laboratory mice, the scientists found fat cells release a protein called Nampt that aids insulin secretion from pancreatic beta cells, which are the sole source of insulin.

Insulin helps the body process glucose, and those with Type 2 diabetes have a deficiency of insulin or a resistance to its effects.

"We think this secretion process allows fat cells to communicate with the pancreas and aid its function," said senior study author Dr. Shin-ichiro Imai, an assistant professor of medicine, molecular biology and pharmacology. "I suspect this process could be critical for compensating pancreatic beta cell function in the face of increasing insulin resistance."

The findings appear in the journal Cell Metabolism.