Insulin Release Triggered by Music: The Power of ‘We Will Rock You’ Revealed

2023-08-25 15:01:00

The composition “We Will Rock You” showed itself most effectively

Swiss scientists introduced mechanosensitive receptors into cells capable of releasing insulin, and they began to respond to sound waves: ion channels let in positively charged calcium ions, which caused the insulin contained in them to merge with the membrane and be released outside. This process most effectively occurred under the song “We Will Rock You” by Queen: in mice that were implanted with these cells, following listening to the song, blood glucose levels significantly decreased. Experiment Described In the magazine The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.

The auditory ossicles convert acoustic sound waves into mechanical vibrations that activate mechanosensitive ion channels in hair cells. The entry of ions into the cell leads to the depolarization of the membrane and the creation of an action potential. Such mechanosensitive ion channels are ubiquitous in all organisms, including bacteria, which can be used for gene therapy of various diseases: the insertion of such receptors and their activation might change the action potential of the cell and, as a result, its activity or even function.

However, systemic delivery of low molecular weight trigger compounds is difficult due to their immunogenic effects, and physical triggers such as light, ultrasound, magnetic fields, radio waves, electricity, and temperature are not always convenient in practical use.

ETH Zurich scientists led by Martin Fussenegger have created stable transgenic insulin-releasing clonal cell lines that constitutively express mammalian Piezo1 mechanosensing receptors or bacterial mechanosensitive MscL receptors. A sound level of 60 decibels at 50 Hertz, which is within the safe range for the human ear, effectively activated these receptors, resulting in the induction of insulin release. Imaging of MscL-positive and MscL-negative cells showed significantly higher levels of intracellular calcium in the first cell population, indicating massive calcium entry into the cell upon activation of mechanoreceptors.

The scientists then tested the effects of different genres of music on insulin release. They found that low-pitched popular music and movie soundtracks produced the highest insulin secretion, while responses to classical music and guitar music were more variable and dependent on the composition.

Queen’s “We Will Rock You” released almost 70 percent of insulin within five minutes. In an experiment on mice with diabetes and transgenic cells, this song resulted in the production of enough insulin to quickly reduce glycemic fluctuations during glucose tolerance tests. In second place in terms of effectiveness was the soundtrack to the film “The Avengers”. The cells were activated only if the sound waves directly affected the skin over the implant site for at least 15 minutes.

Speech, headphones, low-flying aircraft, lawn mowers, fire trucks, and horns did not result in unwanted insulin secretion when perceived from various distances and directions. Thus, these cells are protected from an unplanned release of insulin. Scientists believe that this development can be seen as a potentially real replacement for insulin injections for people with diabetes.

We previously reported that giving insulin through the nose helped people with dementia improve their cognitive function.

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