Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
For years, researchers have known that obesity, type 2 diabetes and low-level inflammation are linked, but how they are connected has not been well understood.
A recent Cornell-led study has found that a type of immune cells -- called natural killer T (NKT) cells -- is an important part of the puzzle.
Two hallmarks of diabetes include insulin resistance, the inability to effectively respond to insulin to control blood sugar, and glucose intolerance, the inability to metabolize glucose.
"When tissue is inflamed, it becomes insulin resistant," said Ling Qi, assistant professor of nutritional sciences.
The study found, however, that "activation of NKT cells reduces inflammation, and also reduces insulin resistance and increases glucose tolerance," added Qi, senior author of the study published April 20 in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. Yewei Ji, a postdoctoral researcher in Qi's lab, is the paper's lead author.
http://www.rdmag.com/News/Feeds/201...-t-cells-found-to-counter-obesity-related-di/
A recent Cornell-led study has found that a type of immune cells -- called natural killer T (NKT) cells -- is an important part of the puzzle.
Two hallmarks of diabetes include insulin resistance, the inability to effectively respond to insulin to control blood sugar, and glucose intolerance, the inability to metabolize glucose.
"When tissue is inflamed, it becomes insulin resistant," said Ling Qi, assistant professor of nutritional sciences.
The study found, however, that "activation of NKT cells reduces inflammation, and also reduces insulin resistance and increases glucose tolerance," added Qi, senior author of the study published April 20 in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. Yewei Ji, a postdoctoral researcher in Qi's lab, is the paper's lead author.
http://www.rdmag.com/News/Feeds/201...-t-cells-found-to-counter-obesity-related-di/