Axelsson · 2017 · Science translational medicine
Hepatic glucose production and blood glucose in diabetes
Would a candidate targeting hepatic glucose production also show a signal in blood glucose among patients with diabetes?
Cells, animals, and humans · mechanisms and human intervention
Key findings
Sulforaphane selected through mechanistic screening
The researchers screened 3,800 drug gene-expression patterns and identified sulforaphane as a candidate. In liver cells, they observed changes in NRF2 and glucose production enzymes.
Blood glucose signal in a specific patient group
Reductions in fasting glucose and HbA1c were reported in a subgroup of patients with type 2 diabetes, obesity, and poor glycemic control.
Hepatic glucose production pathway
The mechanistic study examined hepatic glucose production.
Study design
The researchers linked liver tissue disease gene patterns to drug candidates, then conducted cell and animal experiments. They next compared concentrated broccoli sprout extract with placebo in humans and examined responses by patient characteristics.
- Participants
- Adults with type 2 diabetes
analysis of a specific patient subgroup - Intake and observation
- Concentrated broccoli sprout extract
placebo comparison · subgroup assessment - Measures
- Glucose production · fasting glucose · HbA1c
Study context
The study progressed from mechanistic screening to a human intervention. Blood glucose reduction was reported in a subgroup with obesity and poorly controlled blood glucose.
Original paper and sources
Sulforaphane reduces hepatic glucose production and improves glucose control in patients with type 2 diabetes.
- Journal
- Science translational medicine · 2017 · 9(394): eaah4477
- First published
- 2017-06-01