DIABETES RESEARCH UNIT

Diabetes mellitus is characterised by hyperglycaemia caused by insulin deficiency. Its prevalence is increasing and reaches 425 million people worldwide (www.idf.org). In Spain, more than 13% of the adult population is diabetic and 3 out of 10 people have problems with glucose metabolism. There are two main types of diabetes mellitus. Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune attack against the β-cell, which is the type of cell responsible for producing and releasing insulin, the only hormone in our body capable of lowering glucose. When the β-cell is destroyed, insulin is no longer produced and the patient is therefore dependent on the injection of this hormone. Between 10-15% of diabetics are diagnosed as type 1. Approximately 80-85% of diabetics are diagnosed as type 2, which occurs when peripheral tissues experience a decrease in insulin sensitivity, coupled with an inability of the beta cell to produce and secrete sufficient insulin to counteract such peripheral resistance. Under these conditions, hyperglycaemia progresses as insulin secretion and β-cell mass fall below a critical threshold. In addition, hyperglycaemia and other diabetic complications are further aggravated by impaired α-cell function and secretion of the hyperglycaemic hormone glucagon.

The aetiology of the two types of diabetes is different, but both forms are the result of a gene-environment interaction. Our research unit is working to understand how different environmental factors, such as high-fat diet, ageing and endocrine-disrupting chemicals, act to increase susceptibility to diabetes.

See more: https://diabetes.umh.es/