Diabetes affects an estimated 415 million people worldwide, with around 90% of cases being type 2 diabetes (T2D). This condition occurs when pancreatic beta-cells fail to produce enough insulin, leading to high blood sugar levels.
Scientists from the University of Oxford have now discovered that it is not glucose itself, but byproducts of glucose metabolism, that drive the progression of T2D.
In a healthy body, beta-cells in the pancreas release insulin when blood sugar levels rise. Insulin helps cells absorb glucose from the bloodstream, preventing dangerously high sugar levels.
However, in T2D, beta-cells do not function properly, leading to chronically high blood sugar (hyperglycemia). Over time, this worsens and contributes to serious complications like nerve damage, kidney disease, vision loss, and heart disease.
For years, researchers have known that high blood sugar damages beta-cells, but they were unsure exactly how this happens. This new study provides an answer. The researchers found that the breakdown of glucose inside cells, rather than glucose itself, is what leads to beta-cell failure.
When blood sugar levels are consistently high, glucose is processed too quickly in beta-cells, leading to an accumulation of metabolic byproducts. This creates a bottleneck in the cell’s metabolism, damaging its ability to release insulin.
Most importantly, the study suggests that slowing down glucose metabolism in beta-cells may help prevent or delay their failure. This finding opens the door for new treatments aimed at preserving beta-cell function in people with T2D.
Type 2 diabetes is different from type 1 diabetes (T1D) because beta-cells are still present in T2D, but their ability to release insulin is impaired. Understanding what causes this impairment is crucial for developing better ways to manage or even prevent the disease.
This research highlights the need for new approaches to diabetes treatment, focusing not just on lowering blood sugar levels, but also on how the body processes glucose at a cellular level.
The study, led by Dr. Elizabeth Haythorne, was published in Nature Communications and could pave the way for future therapies that target glucose metabolism rather than just insulin production.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about diabetes and vitamin B12, and the right diet for people with type 2 diabetes.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how to eat smart with diabetes, and turmeric and vitamin D: a duo for blood pressure control in diabetic patients.
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