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Serine deficiency causes complications in diabetes

Impaired sensory-nerve function is a common complication of diabetes. Evidence in mice indicates that deficiency of the amino acid serine causes these complications — and suggests that supplements could help to treat them.
  1. Thorsten Hornemann

    1. Thorsten Hornemann is at the Institute of Clinical Chemistry, University Hospital Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland.

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One of the most common complications of type 2 diabetes is diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN), in which impaired nerve function causes a range of symptoms, including pain and numbness. DPN can lead to skin ulcers and difficulties in wound healing1 and is a leading cause of limb amputations2. There is currently no way to treat the underlying causes of DPN — a mechanism-based therapy is therefore in high demand. Writing in Nature, Handzlik et al.3 demonstrate that changes in the levels of the amino acid serine can impair nerve function, and suggest that the pathway altered could be targeted therapeutically.

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Nature 614, 42-43 (2023)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-023-00054-9

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Competing Interests

The author declares no competing interests.

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