06/09/2011

A study of the Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) has showed the relationship between low phagocytic activity of macrophages (the body's defense cells) and poor control of glucose in patients with type II diabetes. This finding may explain the increased susceptibility of diabetics to suffer all kinds of infections.This pioneering study in the field, led by Dr. Rafael Simó, head of the research group in Diabetes and Metabolism at VHIR and Dr. Jordi Pétriz, head of the laboratory of stem cells and cancer of the Biomedical Research Unit at VHIR was published in the latest edition of the journal PLoS ONE. The article defines the activity of macrophages before and after establishing a good control of blood glucose. Although it is well known that patients with Type II diabetes (adult diabetes and the most frequent) have a commitment of immunity and a clear increased risk of infections, the causes are not known. This paper seeks to answer some questions and postulate some possible explanations. Macrophages are cells in the blood that play a fundamental role in innate immunity of organisms and help control infections.