Diabetic Digest - March 29, 2017

Readers:

I've been dealing with a head cold for a week or so and it's been playing havoc with my blood-sugar. It seems no matter how much or how little insulin or food I consume my numbers are sky-high.

The good thing is that this only happens when I'm sick so it's the ultimate confirmation. This usually happens before the signs of illness show themselves - so I can brace myself for what's to come.

Don't you hate spring colds?

Regards,
Steve

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Comments? Questions? Email Steve



*-- Diabetic News --*
Diabetes drug may protect against deadly form of breast cancer
Researchers in China have discovered a metabolic enzyme inhibitor called epalrestat, used to treat complications from diabetes, could be effective in fighting a deadly form of breast cancer.

The metabolic enzyme AKR1B1 promotes the growth of the deadly form of basal-like and triple-negative breast cancer.

Between 15 and 20 percent of all breast cancers are basal-like, which is particularly aggressive and falls into the triple-negative breast cancer subtype. Currently, there are no effective treatments for this form of breast cancer, which is often fatal.

Basal-like breast cancer is more aggressive due to a process called epithelial-mesenchymal transition, or EMT, a process where cancer cells become more capable of motion and gain stem cell-like properties allowing them to resist treatment and metastasize.

Researchers discovered levels of AKR1B1 were significantly higher in basal-like and triple-negative breast cancers, which was linked to increased rates of metastasis and death.

Conversely, researchers found that knocking down AKR1B1 inhibited the growth and metastasis of tumors in basal-like breast cancer cells injected into mice.

The study also revealed epalrestat, a drug used to treat peripheral diabetic neuropathies, inhibits AKR1B1 and can block the growth and metastasis of basal-like breast cancer cells.

"Our data clearly suggests that AKR1B1 overexpression represents an oncogenic event that is responsible for the aggressive behaviors of basal-like breast cancer cells," Chenfang Dong, a researcher at the Zhejiang University School of Medicine in Hangzhou, China, said in a press release. "Since epalrestat is already on the market and has no major adverse side effects, our study provides a proof of principle that it could become a valuable targeted drug for the clinical treatment of basal-like breast cancer."

The study was published in The Journal of Experimental Medicine.



*-- Diabetic News --*
PICNIC SIDE SALAD WITH TUNA
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
1 cup fresh or canned tuna, shredded
1/4 cup very thinly julienned basil leaves
1 cup cubed fresh (packed in water) mozzarella cheese
1 cup cooked sweet corn
1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Mix it all together, toss well and let sit in the fridge for about an hour. Serve with bread or over butter lettuce.

Categories: Salad

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