What is the Difference Between Human Insulin and Porcine Insulin?

The main difference between human insulin and porcine insulin lies in their amino acid structure. Porcine insulin differs from human insulin by one amino acid at position 30 of the carboxy-terminal alanine in the B-chain. Bovine insulin, on the other hand, differs from human insulin at three positions (B30, A8, and A10).

Human insulin was introduced for the routine treatment of diabetes in the early 1980s, and it was thought to have a lower immunogenicity compared to animal insulins. However, in practice, the difference in immunogenicity between human and porcine insulin is not significant, and highly purified monocomponent porcine or bovine insulin preparations generally have a lower immunogenicity.

A study comparing semi-synthetic monocomponent human insulin (insulin A) with standard monocomponent porcine insulin found no significant difference in overall blood glucose control between the two types of insulin. No clinical reactions to human insulin were observed, and there was no significant difference in the daily insulin dose between porcine and human insulin.

Comparative Table: Human Insulin vs Porcine Insulin

Human insulin and porcine insulin are both used in the treatment of diabetes, but they have some differences. Here is a table comparing the two:

Human insulin is a synthetic form of insulin created in the laboratory, while porcine insulin is a purified form of insulin isolated from the pancreas of pigs. Porcine insulin has one amino acid difference at the carboxy-terminal of the B chain compared to human insulin, which can lead to a higher immunogenicity and the production of human antibodies against porcine insulin. However, blood glucose control and insulin dosage are generally comparable between the two types of insulin.