VOA标准英语2011--Natural Substance Reverses Diabetes in M

Natural Substance Reverses Diabetes¹ in Mice

Researchers used a substance, made naturally in the body, to reverse diabetes in mice, a finding which could be key to rolling back Type 2 diabetes.
The enzyme², called NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide), restored normal blood sugar metabolism³ in diabetic laboratory mice.
Washington University medical school Professor Shin-ichiro Imai, focuses his research on aging and longevity⁴. "And we have been focusing on a very interesting protein called SIRT1."
That protein is known to help combat age-associated diseases, including Alzheimer's and Type 2 diabetes. SIRT1 depends on a molecule⁵ called NAD (Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide), and NAD, in turn, depends on NMN.
So Imai and his colleagues wondered if NMN might, in effect, help restore normal blood sugar metabolism. Using laboratory mice, they injected the animals with NMN in the hope of boosting the SIRT1 protein.
"We found out that NMN, in some cases, almost completely normalized their problems in Type 2 diabetes, especially in the females," he says.
According to Imai, the effect is much stronger in female mice than in the males, which is a mystery.
"There seems to be a significant sex difference in terms of the effect of NMN, and we still don't understand why."
So, does this NMN therapy amount to a cure for diabetes in the laboratory mice?
"At this moment, I wouldn't say 'cure,'" Imai says, "but now I'm sure that we can significantly improve their symptoms, so the question is, can we treat humans, can we treat Type 2 diabetes patients with NMN."
Toward that end, the researchers have begun tests, again with laboratory mice, to investigate the result of long-term treatment with NMN. If all goes well, human trials could follow.
Shin-ichiro Imai and his colleagues published their findings in the journal Cell Metabolism.

1 diabetes   

n.糖尿病

参考例句：

• In case of diabetes, physicians advise against the use of sugar.对于糖尿病患者，医生告诫他们不要吃糖。
• Diabetes is caused by a fault in the insulin production of the body.糖尿病是由体內胰岛素分泌失调引起的。

2 enzyme   

n.酵素，酶

参考例句：

• Above a certain temperature,the enzyme molecule will become unfolded.超过一定温度，酶分子将会展开。
• An enzyme that dissolves the fibrin of blood clots.能溶解血凝块中的纤维的酶。

3 metabolism   

n.新陈代谢

参考例句：

• After years of dieting,Carol's metabolism was completely out of whack.经过数年的节食，卡罗尔的新陈代谢完全紊乱了。
• All living matter undergoes a process of metabolism.生物都有新陈代谢。

4 longevity   

n.长命；长寿

参考例句：

• Good habits promote longevity.良好的习惯能增长寿命。
• Human longevity runs in families.人类的长寿具有家族遗传性。

5 molecule   

n.分子，克分子

参考例句：

• A molecule of water is made up of two atoms of hygrogen and one atom of oxygen.一个水分子是由P妈̬f婘̬ 妈̬成的。
• This gives us the structural formula of the molecule.这种方式给出了分子的结构式。