The presence of a specific protein makes it possible to predict who is likely to develop diabetes in the future and take countermeasures, reports Cell Metabolism.
When a patient is diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, the disease usually develops for several years and has already damaged blood vessels and eyes.
Anders Rosengren’s team from Lund University has shown that people with abnormally high levels of SFRP4 in their blood are five times more likely to develop diabetes in the next few years than with lower-than-normal levels of this protein.
SFRP4 plays an important role in inflammatory processes. It has been shown for the first time that it may also be associated with type 2 diabetes. It is likely that chronic, low-grade inflammation weakens pancreatic beta cells, making it difficult for them to secrete insulin.
The authors of the study believe that early anticipation can motivate patients to change their lifestyle and thus prevent diabetes. Another potential benefit of the discovery is the chance to develop drugs that block SFRP4 and protect pancreatic beta cells (PAP).
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