Researchers from the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica discovered that blocking a protein called DRAK2 can protect insulin-producing cells in the pancreas from toxic fatty acids. Type 2 diabetes is a progressive disease resulting from a combination of genetics and lifestyle factors. The disease leads to damage and death of pancreas cells, which produce insulin. The researchers identified that DRAK2 plays a role in triggering cell destruction in response to toxic fatty acids. They also found that inhibiting DRAK2 can protect beta cells from damage and may provide a potential therapeutic target for type 2 diabetes.
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Drug Stops Suicide Cells in Type 2 Diabetes
