Diabetes may originate in your gut

Diabetes may originate in your gut

Washington: Scientists have suggested that problems controlling blood sugar — the hallmark of diabetes — may begin in the intestines.

The finding may upend long-held theories about the causes of the disease. Because insulin is produced in the pancreas and sugar is stored in the liver, many scientists have looked to those organs for the underlying causes of diabetes.

FAS, an enzyme crucial for the production of lipids, is regulated by insulin, and people with diabetes have defects in FAS. Mice without the enzyme in the intestines develop chronic inflammation in the gut, a powerful predictor of diabetes.

"Diabetes may indeed start in your gut. When people become resistant to insulin, as happens when they gain weight, FAS doesn't work properly, which causes inflammation that in turn can lead to diabetes," said lead author Clay Semenkovich.

Mice with defects in their ability to make the enzyme fatty acid synthase in their intestines develop inflammation, and diabetes, say the scientists who determined in their research what happens in mice that can't make FAS.

Mice with defects in their ability to make the enzyme fatty acid synthase in their intestines develop inflammation, and diabetes, say the scientists who determined in their research what happens in mice that can''t make FAS. (MORE) PTI MOT