Inflammation drives diabetes
Nature Immunology
April 11, 2011
Obesity can trigger an inflammatory response from immune cells, which can then lead to metabolic diseases, such as insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, reports an study published online this week in Nature Immunology. The findings show how the immune system can directly contribute to a common metabolic disease and highlights that targeting inflammation may be a useful therapeutic intervention.
A molecular complex inside cells, called the inflammasome, plays an important role in immunity by triggering inflammation in response to a wide variety of harmful agents ranging from bacteria to asbestos. Jenny Ting and colleagues now find that palmitate, a fatty acid common in a high fat diet, triggers activation of the inflammasome. Palmitate-triggered inflammation is also responsible for interfering with the insulin sensitivity of liver cells ― a major feature of type 2 diabetes.
doi: 10.1038/ni.2022
Research highlights
-
Jul 1
Criminology: Predicting police enforcement bias in major US citiesNature Human Behaviour
-
Jul 1
Evolution: Pandas gave bamboo the thumbs up at least six million years agoScientific Reports
-
Jul 1
Space health: The path of most resistance could help limit bone loss during spaceflightScientific Reports
-
Jun 30
Genomics: Gray wolf genome hints at dual ancestry of dogsNature
-
Jun 30
Evolution: Hawks learn on the fly to swoop up before perchingNature
-
Jun 30
Microbiology: Transmission of gastrointestinal viruses in salivaNature