Red Blood Cells Act as Glucose Sponges

Researchers at Gladstone Institutes, led by Isha Jain, have discovered that red blood cells act as 'glucose sponges' in low-oxygen conditions, explaining why people at high altitudes have lower rates of diabetes. The study, published in Cell Metabolism, shows that red blood cells shift their metabolism to absorb sugar, which helps them deliver oxygen more efficiently while also lowering blood glucose. This finding solves a long-standing puzzle in physiology and opens new avenues for diabetes treatment. The team also tested HypoxyStat, a drug developed in Isha Jain's lab that mimics low-oxygen effects, which completely reversed high blood sugar in diabetic mouse models, outperforming existing medications. This discovery has implications beyond diabetes, potentially affecting exercise physiology and pathological hypoxia after traumatic injury. Collaborators included Yolanda Marti-Mateos, Angelo D Alessandro, and Allan Doctor.