Twin study offers clues to development of Type 2 diabetes

Washington: Scientists have identified mechanisms that lead to development of type 2 diabetes.

Researchers of Lund University in Sweden studied 14 pairs of identical twins were studied in Sweden and Denmark, where one twin had type 2 diabetes and the other was healthy.

The researchers investigated DNA methylation at 480 000 points on the DNA and looked at how it affected the expression of the genes in the identical twins. They found that raised levels of fat in the blood and uptake of fat by other organs instead, such as the muscles, liver or pancreas, caused insulin resistance, which leads to type 2 diabetes

The researchers went on to compare non-identical twins with identical twins and found that the similarities were greater in identical twins.