Exercise has long been praised for keeping the body healthy, but scientists are still discovering how it protects us at the cellular level.
A new doctoral thesis from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden reveals that physical activity releases tiny particles called extracellular vesicles—often described as the body’s “messenger bubbles”—that may help protect the pancreas and lower the risk of diabetes.
Zhenghao Wang, a doctoral student at Karolinska Institutet’s Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, focused his research on understanding how these exercise-induced vesicles, or EVs, affect pancreatic β-cells.
These specialized cells are responsible for producing insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar.
When β-cells become damaged or die, diabetes can develop.
“The goal of my research was to find out how exercise-induced EVs help pancreatic β-cells survive and function better, and to uncover the molecular mechanisms behind this protection,” Wang explained.
He worked within the Signal Transduction research group, which studies how cells communicate and respond to different stimuli.
Wang’s findings show that exercise doesn’t just benefit one organ—it activates a complex communication network throughout the body.
This network involves EVs carrying molecules that help different organs “talk” to each other.
In particular, the study found that a small molecule called miR-124, contained inside these vesicles, plays a crucial role in protecting cells from stress that can lead to diabetes. This molecule helps reduce damage caused by endoplasmic reticulum stress—a process linked to the death of insulin-producing cells.
“Our study shows that exercise helps the body fight diabetes through this multi-organ communication system,” Wang said. “We identified miR-124 as a key regulator that connects exercise to cellular protection, offering a new target for potential treatments.”
The discovery could lead to new ways to prevent and manage diabetes. For example, measuring miR-124 levels in the blood might help track how well a person responds to exercise or treatment. In the future, scientists could even create “exercise mimetics”—engineered vesicles or synthetic versions of miR-124—that replicate the benefits of exercise for people unable to work out due to illness or mobility issues.
Looking ahead, Wang hopes to translate these discoveries into real-world solutions. “Our goal is to turn exercise biology into practical tools—diagnostics, therapies, and health innovations that make the benefits of exercise accessible to everyone,” he said.
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Source: KSR.
