Health · Medical Research · 2 days ago
CA8 protein may offer a new target for type 2 diabetes treatment
Type 2 diabetes involves both the liver, which releases glucose, and the pancreas, which makes insulin to help control blood sugar.
Researchers at Kyoto University studied CA8, a protein involved in calcium signaling, in mice and in cells from the liver and pancreas.
They found that CA8 affected glucose production in the liver and insulin release from pancreatic cells.
In obese and diabetic mice, CA8 levels rose in the pancreas but fell in the liver, a pattern linked to weaker insulin release and excessive glucose production.
Restoring CA8 in the liver reduced excessive glucose production and high blood sugar during fasting.
The findings suggest that treatments may need to account for how the liver and pancreas work together.
The research was mainly conducted in mice, so studies in human tissues and cells are needed before CA8 can be considered a treatment target.
Researchers at Kyoto University found that the protein CA8 may help regulate glucose control in both the liver and pancreas.
In mice lacking functional CA8, the liver released more glucose and pancreatic islets secreted more insulin in response to glucose.
In obese and diabetic mice, CA8 expression rose in pancreatic islets but fell in liver cells, a pattern associated with impaired insulin secretion and excessive glucose production.
Restoring CA8 expression in the liver reduced excessive glucose production and high blood glucose during fasting in mice.
The findings suggest CA8 could be a therapeutic target for type 2 diabetes, but the researchers said studies in human tissues and cells are needed.
- Who
- Researchers at Kyoto University
- What
- A study of CA8’s role in glucose regulation and its potential as a type 2 diabetes treatment target
- When
- Published October 10, 2026
- Where
- Kyoto University; experiments were conducted in mice and isolated mouse cells
- Why
- To investigate whether CA8 links calcium signaling with glucose production in the liver and insulin secretion in the pancreas
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
We were intrigued that a single intracellular regulator could act as a common 'brake' in two organs but produce very different physiological outcomes
Our findings may help explain part of the complexity of this disease
This story does not have a timeline yet.
- Research institution
- Kyoto University
- Protein studied
- Carbonic anhydrase VIII (CA8)
- Model used
- Car8wdl mice lacking functional CA8, alongside other obese and diabetic mice
- Publication date
- October 10, 2026
Sources
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