The American dogma is a strange lizard from a physical and chemical point of view. Most people can recognize the at least 1.5-foot-long lizard by its striking bumpy pink and black scales, stocky body, and trademark stubby tail. These are not their only unique characteristics. They are only one of two known species of lizards in the world that can produce venom. Neurotoxic bites are rarely fatal, but they are unpleasant and can cause significant pain, edema, nausea, and vomiting. But the saliva of Gila monsters also contains a substance that may help detect the most elusive pancreatic tumors.
In rare cases, the beta cells in the pancreas that are responsible for producing insulin may malfunction and form small tumors known as insulinomas. Although these tumors are relatively benign, they can lower blood sugar levels by producing too much insulin. This problem is especially problematic for people with diabetes, as it can cause low energy and fainting. Additionally, tumors are typically less than 1 inch in size, making them difficult to locate and diagnose. But now, thanks to the chemical complexity of the Gila Monster’s saliva, a new PET scan variant appears to be able to accurately assess insulinoma.
Until the advent of lizard-inspired solutions, it was extremely difficult for medical teams to identify patients with insulinoma. It often takes a long time to confirm its existence.
“This is a very difficult disease,” says Marty Bos, lead author of the new study published in 2006. nuclear medicine journal, stated in a statement. “Blood tests can be done, but they cannot confirm whether or not a tumor is the cause or where the tumor is located. Various scans are available, including CT, MRI, and PET, but they do not necessarily indicate whether an insulinoma will not be displayed.
“Previously, surgeons would remove part of the pancreas until they found the tumor. If that was the last time, the entire pancreas would be gone,” said Martin Gotthardt, professor of nuclear medicine and study co-author. added. “Although I can live without a pancreas, I have severe diabetes and need to constantly manage my blood sugar levels, so a better scan was urgently needed.”
Gotthardt and Voss knew of the promising utility of the Doctoria monster’s saliva. Previous research has shown that certain chemicals in the saliva of venomous desert lizards have a high affinity for binding to specific molecules in insulinomas, known as GLP1 receptors. . But it wasn’t as simple as collecting vials of reptile saliva for use in the lab.
“Saliva substances were not very stable in the human body,” Gotthard explained.
To solve this problem, researchers developed a more chemically stable synthetic version known as Extendin and combined it with a mild radioactive tracer used in standard PET scans. From there, they asked 69 adult patients with suspected insulinoma to undergo Extendin-PET scans. The results were clear: basic PET scans detected tumors 65 percent of the time, while the new Doctoria Beast-derived option detected tumors with 95 percent accuracy. When Extendin-PET scans were combined with CT and MRI scans, 13% of insulinomas were identified by Extendin-PET examinations alone. After confirmation, surgeons were able to remove all of the affected patient’s tumor.
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The researchers hope to further study the benefits of Extendin and how it can be used to treat insulinomas, as well as advance efforts to introduce improved PET scans into medical facilities.
“‘We believe the new scan can replace all other scans,’ Voss said.” [A]Although some patients had been ill for decades, all of them were completely cured after surgery. ”
