IT'S WELL KNOWN that type 1 diabetes stems from an immune system gone awry. Now, a study has found that the immune system may play a role in how type 2 develops as well. When the immune system's B cells detect harmful substances in the body, they sound the alarm by causing inflammation or producing proteins called antibodies. Researchers found an abundance of B cells in the fat of obese mice and linked them to the development of insulin resistance, a cause of type 2 diabetes. Eliminating B cells in these mice protected them from insulin resistance. What's more, humans with insulin resistance tested positive for a particular type of antibody that initiates an attack on one's own body, making it more likely that the immune system and B cells contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes.
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