Protein-clearing mechanism linked to Type 2 diabetes

The buildup of a specific protein – and the body's inability to eliminate that protein – could be linked to Type 2 diabetes, new research from UCLA suggests.

People with Type 2 diabetes have excessive amounts of a protein called islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP). Over time, the accumulation of this protein is linked to the loss of insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas.

The study, which was published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, found that people without Type 2 diabetes are able to eliminate this type of protein buildup through the process of autophagy – where degraded or compromised cells are swept away and disposed of by the body.

Yet in people with Type 2 diabetes, this process doesn't seem to work properly. As a result, more pancreatic beta cells are destroyed and blood sugar regulation is compromised.

New treatments may protect beta cells

According to Safia Costes, study co-author, previous studies have shown that autophagy is a critical part of beta cell function.

"Those studies, however, were not conducted to address the role of this process in the regulation of the amyloidogenic protein, which is an important contributor to Type 2 diabetes," Costes said.

Through further research, the authors hope to understand how different cellular mechanisms are responsible for beta cell destruction – and how to protect these cells.

"This would aid the development of the next generation of treatments as well as combination therapies for Type 2 diabetes," Costes said.

Source: UCLA
Image credit: tigger11th / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Get a Free Diabetes Meal Plan

Get a free 7-Day Diabetes Meal Plan from Constance Brown-Riggs who is a Registered Dietitian-Certified Diabetes Educator and who is also a national spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.

Just enter in your email below to download your free Diabetes Meal Plan.

By clicking Submit, you agree to send your info to BattleDiabetes.com who, in addition to 3rd party partners, may contact you with updates, products and information and we agree to use it according to our privacy policy and terms and conditions.

More Articles

More Articles

For decades people with type-1 and advanced type-2 diabetes relied on painful and often flawed insulin injections to regulate blood sugar...

Scientists have discovered that a single gene forms a common link between type 2 diabetes and...

Natural supplements like cinnamon extract and apple cider vinegar could hold the key to lowering blood sugar levels, according to a recent...

Natural supplements like cinnamon extract and apple cider vinegar could hold the key to lowering blood sugar levels, according to a recent...

Could a person's risk for type 2 diabetes be written in their genes?

According to a study recently published in ...

Women who frequently shift around their sleeping hours could have worse metabolic health outcomes than their peers who stick with a...

The presence of the hormone leptin may hinder prenatal development, which could explain the origin of type 2 diabetes, according to...

An analysis of fossilized Native American feces shows that our ancestors ate up to sixteen times the fiber that we do today, but our...

Managing diabetes is hugely challenging for people of any age, but a new study suggests that young people may suffer all the more....

Disruptions to the gut’s ecosystem could be a future symptom facing young children who take antibiotics, which makes them more susceptible...

Breastfeeding a newborn holds many benefits for mommy and baby; it reduces the baby's risk for colds and viruses, it helps his bones (and yours)...

Fans of the Dexcom G5 Mobile have something to smile about.

At yesterday's hearing with the U.S. Food and Drug...

If you start your day with a cup of tea and end it with a glass of red wine, your blood sugar may thank you.

At least that...

As medical experts continue to debate whether or not "healthy obesity" can even exist, one new study suggests that risk for heart disease...

For years, type 1 diabetics have been anxiously waiting for that medical marvel that can stop the constant injections: the artificial...