U.K.: Diabetic? Blame Your Faulty Genes

LONDON, England (IANS - The Times Of India), November 22, 2007: Faulty versions of two genes may be responsible for Type 1 diabetes - a chronic disease that occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin to control blood sugar levels, scientists said. The genes HLA-A and HLA-B usually help the body to fight infection but their faulty versions lead the immune system to destroy insulin-producing islet cells in the pancreas, reported the online edition of New Scientist. Researchers at the Cambridge Institute for Medical Research in Britain found that having the faulty variants may raise someone's risk of developing Type 1 diabetes by 50 percent. Type 1 diabetes, also known as juvenile diabetes, is caused by the destruction of cells in the pancreas - an organ located just behind the stomach that produces the hormone insulin to properly control the blood sugar levels. Copyright © 2007 Times Internet Limited.