In the event of excess sugar in the blood, our cells are subjected to so-called “hyperglucidic” stress, not without consequences for health…
Have you ever heard of “hyperglucidic” stress ? This term is not commonly used in medical and scientific literature but it can be interpreted as the reaction of body cells to a state of stress which can occur when blood sugar level is high. High blood sugar levels can result either from excessive consumption of sugars or from insulin resistance or other metabolic factors. (in case of diabetes For example).
In the event of hypercarbohydrate stress, researchers from theNational Institute of Agricultural Research (INRAE) recently discovered thata cellular defense process was activated to protect the cells exposed to this stress. The name for this process is chaperone-mediated autophagy… or for short “CMA”. “Our results provide unequivocal evidence of the existence of the activity of the CMA (during excess blood sugar, editor’s note) and highlight both the role and regulation of CMA during glucose-related metabolic disorders“, we can read in the report of the results published on October 5, 2023 in Autophagy review.
How to protect cells from excess sugar?
To better understand CMA, researchers studied rainbow trout liver cells (they realized that their cells were subject to the same cellular processes as human cells). They then created different genetic and drug tools, which allowed them to study precisely how this CMA reacts when cells are subjected to stress caused by excess sugar in the blood. And for the first time, they discovered the role of the CMA, previously unknownin the resistance of cells to hyperglucidic stress and thus observed that:
► When the CMA was working correctlythe cells seemed protected from excess sugar in the body
► When the CMA was dysfunctionalthe cells became vulnerable and weakened by excess sugar in the body
This discovery would open up new perspectives to better understand and treat disorders linked to sugar metabolism. Controlling CMA could, for example, attenuate pathological manifestations. associated with diabetes.
A promising discovery for several diseases
CMA is also involved in the regulation of metabolism, DNA repair… and its dysfunction is associated with numerous human pathologies such as neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s…), cancers, intestinal, cardiovascular, metabolic disorders or immune system disorders. In other words, a certain number of these diseases would be associated with CMA defects. By understanding how CMA works, scientists can potentially develop therapies aimed at treating or preventing these diseases. Drugs and treatments aimed at modulating autophagy are also being developed to treat various diseases.