Fighting Diabetes by Killing 'Angry' Immune Cells In Fat

“By killing off ‘angry’ immune cells that take up residence in obese fat and muscle tissue, researchers have shown that they can rapidly reverse insulin resistance in obese mice. The findings reported in the October Cell Metabolism, a publication of Cell Press, suggest that treatments aimed at specific subsets of the so-called macrophage cells might offer a very effective new antidiabetic therapy, according to the researchers. ‘We used a genetic 'trick' that allowed us to rapidly kill these macrophages," said Jerrold Olefsky of the University of California, San Diego. ‘The treatment killed these cells within hours, and insulin resistance simply reversed itself. It argues strongly that macrophages are causative for the inflammation that leads to diabetes [in those who are obese].’”

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/124650.php