β-glucose

Overview

β-Glucose refers to the β-anomeric form of glucose, a six-carbon monosaccharide and one of the principal simple sugars in biology. In aqueous solution, glucose exists in equilibrium between cyclic α- and β-anomeric forms, with the β form often predominating. As a central carbohydrate, glucose is fundamental to cellular energy metabolism, serving as a major substrate for glycolysis, oxidative phosphorylation, glycogen synthesis, and multiple biosynthetic pathways.

In biomedical research, β-glucose is usually discussed in the broader context of glucose biology rather than as a distinct therapeutic agent. It is clinically important as a circulating metabolite, a marker of glycemic status, and a substrate or trigger in assays, biosensors, and metabolic engineering systems. Its behavior is relevant to type 2 diabetes, diabetic ketoacidosis, chronic kidney disease, ischemic stroke, liver-related outcomes, and cancer metabolism, as well as to glucose-responsive biomaterials and Glucose oxidase-based diagnostic platforms.

Focus of Latest Publications

Recent publications have examined glucose in multiple clinical contexts, with particular emphasis on its role in diabetes-related complications and glucose homeostasis. In patients with diabetic foot ulcers, blood glucose levels and glycemic control markers predicted mortality risk, though Wagner classification of ulcer severity did not. Glucose regulation has also been investigated in type 1 diabetes, where the timing of resistance exercise affected acute and nocturnal postprandial glucose responses. In pregnancy, fasting, first-hour, and second-hour glucose values from oral glucose tolerance testing were evaluated for their predictive strength in identifying fetal macrosomia in non-diabetic women. Postprandial glucose dynamics in obesity showed substantial individual variation, with elevated and delayed glucose peaks strongly associated with markers of insulin resistance, hepatic dysfunction, and altered metabolic phenotypes.

A major focus has been the development of advanced glucose biosensing and monitoring platforms for clinical applications. Researchers created enzymatic electrochemical biosensors incorporating glucose oxidase immobilized on nanoparticle-decorated carbon nanotubes and biocomposite films, achieving rapid detection with sensitivity comparable to clinical devices and sustained stability over weeks. Enzyme-free approaches were also explored, including a glucose-responsive wearable microneedle patch readable via ultrasound that delivered stable glucose measurements for up to 56 days. Time-gated fluorescent aptamer sensors utilizing europium-based FRET systems and aptamer-based electrochemical platforms were developed for continuous glucose monitoring in complex biological samples, including cerebrospinal fluid in neurocritical care and neonatal point-of-care testing.

Glucose-responsive smart materials have emerged as tools for managing diabetic complications. Researchers developed self-reinforcing hydrogels based on polysaccharide networks that scavenge excess glucose from the wound microenvironment while adapting their mechanical properties accordingly, promoting macrophage reprogramming and angiogenesis in diabetic wounds. Glucose oxidase-loaded nanoreactors were designed to exploit hyperglycemic microenvironments as a therapeutic trigger, converting excess glucose into gluconic acid and hydrogen peroxide to generate reactive oxygen species for antibacterial effects while intelligently switching to a healing-promoting catalase mode as glucose was depleted.

Finally, glucose was identified as a relevant metabolic marker across diverse disease states. In congenital hypothyroidism, β-glucose was among seven common differential serum metabolites that enabled an optimized neural network diagnostic model with 89.4% prediction accuracy. In acute lymphoblastic leukemia, glucose consumption was linked to chemotherapy resistance through active mTOR signaling and pyrimidine synthesis dependencies. In a natural product study, glucose as a structural component of Codonopsis pilosula polysaccharides contributed to anti-aging effects through modulation of gut microbiota and JAK2-STAT3 signaling.

Key Publications

• NEWJan Mortality among patients with diabetic foot ulcers and its relationship with Wagner classification and glucose regulation. (The National medical journal of India, 2026, PMID 42325033): "...and assess the relationship between mortality, the Wagner classification of diabetic foot, and biochemical parameters, such as glucose, haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), and lipid profile."
• NEWJun Bioinspired catecholamine-derived AuNPs@polynorepinephrine@MWCNT electroactive nanomaterial for real-time monitoring of glucose dynamics. (Mikrochimica acta, 2026, PMID 42307818): "The nanoplatform was deposited on a screen-printed electrode (SPE) with glucose oxidase (GOx) from Aspergillus niger for potential use in point-of-care testing based on a rapid electrocatalytic response to glucose."
• NEWJul A Comparison of the Effects of the Timing of Resistance Exercise on Glucose Levels Within the Target Range in People With Type 1 Diabetes (TREX Study): A Randomized Crossover Trial. (Diabetes/metabolism research and reviews, 2026, PMID 42265980): "The purpose of this paper is to examine the acute and nocturnal glycaemic response to morning fasted, fed or afternoon fed resistance exercise in people with type 1 diabetes."
• May Artificial Intelligence-Supported Colorimetric Multibiomarker Sensor to Enable Critical Neonatal Monitoring. (ACS sensors, 2026, PMID 42205010): "Colorimetric responses showed high precision and reproducibility in sensing ranges relevant for neonatal care (T: 32-41 [°C]; pH: 3-9; S: 2.92-29.20 [mg/mL], G: 0.039-0.625 [mg/mL])."
• May The correlation between height and assay parameters in children with short stature. (Medicine, 2026, PMID 42175428): "Furthermore, a moderate positive correlation was found between height and glucose (r=0.41, P<.0001)."
• May Heterogeneity in postprandial glucose-insulin and triacylglycerol dynamics and associations with plasma metabolome and body composition in obesity. (American journal of physiology. Endocrinology and metabolism, 2026, PMID 42166654): "...individual variation in postprandial response dynamics in key hormones and metabolites such as insulin, glucose, and triacylglycerols (TAGs)."
• May A platform for near real-time and multiplexed monitoring of cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers and flow in neurocritical care. (Science translational medicine, 2026, PMID 42127221): "...near real-time monitoring of key CSF (bio)markers, including glucose, lactate, pH, and flow rate, that are essential for detecting infection and drain dysfunction."
• May Augmenting ultrasound for continuous glucose monitoring via a wearable acoustically readable microneedle patch. (Science advances, 2026, PMID 42066084): "allowing interstitial fluid to trigger variable swelling of the microneedles in response to glucose fluctuations."
• May Single-Step Aerosol-Assisted Plasma Deposition of Biocomposite Glucose Oxidase/Poly(ethylene oxide) Films for Biosensing Applications. (ACS applied materials & interfaces, 2026, PMID 42021452): "In contrast, droplets retaining a high ϕH2O can spread upon impaction, leading to the formation of disk-like features in the GOx/PEO films and increased sensitivity of the films for glucose."
• Apr Time-Gated Fluorescent Aptamer Sensors Eliminate Autofluorescence during Continuous Molecular Detection in Complex Biological Matrices. (ACS sensors, 2026, PMID 42017428): "we present a generalizable framework for designing time-gated fluorescence aptamer switches and apply it to three clinically relevant biomarkers: glucose, lactate, and cortisol."