A team of scientists has designed cells that release insulin in response to music, hoping they can someday be implanted in diabetes patients to help them avoid the regular injections needed to manage their condition. In tests conducted on mice, in response to the song "We Will Rock You" by Queen, the cells released nearly 70% of insulin within five minutes and the entire amount of the hormone within 15 minutes, mimicking the natural release of the hormone from our pancreatic cells, according to The Lancet journal. The pancreas releases insulin after eating, helping cells absorb sugar from the blood. However, people with diabetes do not produce any insulin or produce insufficient amounts, or their cells become resistant to its effects. Scientists at ETH Zurich in Switzerland have developed implantable insulin-producing cells that can be controlled externally—allowing patients to manage the timing of insulin release into their blood.
In a new study, they took human pancreatic beta cells—responsible for producing and secreting insulin—and genetically modified them in the lab to respond to sound waves. The cells contain channels on their surface that are sensitive to sound waves, acting like doors within the cell: in response to music, they open to allow calcium particles circulating in the blood to enter, prompting the cell to release insulin. Importantly, these cells have a limited capacity for insulin and require four hours to "replenish" the hormone. The researchers stated that this activity "would align with the typical needs of people with diabetes who consume three meals a day."
Different types of music at varying volume levels were evaluated during laboratory testing, with the strongest insulin response recorded for bass-rich rock music, such as "We Will Rock You." Other types of music, including classical and guitar, had variable but lesser effects, while environmental noises like lawnmowers, fire engines, and conversation did not trigger insulin release. Subsequently, the researchers placed the insulin-producing cells in a capsule made from a material approved for human implantation and placed it in the abdomens of diabetic mice. When they played music through a speaker near the treated area, all the cells released insulin, and blood sugar levels in the mice dropped.
Commenting on the research, Dr. Ali Al-Dubiyat, a clinical diabetes researcher at Newcastle University, said, "This is a very novel and interesting approach by the Swiss scientists who genetically modified insulin-producing cells to release the hormone in response to specific sound waves. The remaining challenge is to ensure that insulin release occurs only in response to controlled sounds rather than background noise."
