Quantitatively Probing the Discovery of a Natural Theranostic for Type 1 Diabetes

Description:
Early 2022 marked the 100th anniversary of the first person with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) receiving exogenous insulin as a therapeutic. It is estimated that insulin has saved more lives than the number of lives lost in World Wars I and II combined. Lesser known than insulin is the 31 amino acid length C-peptide, which is connected to insulin at one point during in vivo processing in the pancreatic beta cells and secreted in equimolar amounts with insulin. Based on its half-life of over 30 minutes in comparison to the 2-3 minute half-life of insulin, C-peptide has long been used as a diagnostic to confirm the absence of insulin (and thus, T1D). However, since its discovery in 1967, C-peptide has never found success as a therapeutic. Recently, our group has reported that C-peptide may have beneficial effects on bloodstream cells but requires a special formulation iincluding zinc and albumin. When formulated correctly, it has many of the same effects that insulin has on cells, which is important because insulin has no effect on bloodstream cells. Interestingly, this formulation, when used on cells obtained from people with Multiple Sclerosis, can be used as a diagnostic tool. Collectively, our group believes that C-peptide has the ability to serve as a diagnostic and therapeutic in a manner that makes it a novel example of a theranostic. In this presentation, I will present work from our group describing the behind-the-scenes analytical work needed to understand C-peptide as a theranostic for autoimmune disease including purification of the peptide, radiolabeling of proteins for unique dialysis and binding studies, receptor identification, as well as mass spectrometric analysis of albumin glycation affecting C-peptide efficacy.

Speaker: Dana Spence - Michigan State University
Dr. Spence is a professor in Biomedical Engineering at Michigan State University's Institute for Quantitative Health Science & Engineering. His group's research focus examines the role of bloodstream cells in autoimmune disease, specifically Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) and Multiple Sclerosis. In both cases, his group investigates the role of C-peptide, the 31 amino acid peptide that is co-secreted with insulin from the pancreatic beta cells. In T1D, the focal point is a correct physiological formulation involving C-peptide that can be used as an exogenously added therapy alongside insulin. In MS, his group's focus is to utilize the C-peptide as a diagnostic. These projects are studied alongside a project involving new formulations and strategies for transfusion medicine and blood storage. Collectively, these hematology-based projects are supported by novel, quantitative tools and measurements that draw on Dr. Spence's formal training in analytical chemistry during his graduate studies.