People with type 1 and type 2 diabetes are at increased risk of developing some forms of cancer compared to the rest of the population. Researchers have finally figured out why, and it has to do with damage to a person’s DNA. Deoxyribonucleic acid, most commonly known as DNA, forms the building blocks that make us who we are. It can also be damaged by chemical or environmental factors such as UV rays or cigarette smoke. The body has mechanisms to help repair this damage. Researchers found that, when a person’s blood sugar is high, DNA sustains more damage that is repaired less effectively than when the blood sugar level is normal.
While this may sound like bad news for people with diabetes, it’s actually great news, since the researchers also identified two proteins that appear to be involved in the process that causes excess damage to diabetics’ DNA. These proteins, the transcription factor HIF1α and signaling protein mTORC1, are less active in when a person’s blood sugar is high. Signaling protein mTORC1 controls HIF1α, which activates several genes involved in the repair process. Stabilizing HIF1α in a high-glucose environment reduces DNA damage and increases DNA repair.
In additional happy news, there are already drugs that stimulate HIF1α and mTORC1, so the next step in this research is to test these drugs in diabetic animal models. Hopefully, we’ll end up with a new treatment to prevent DNA damage in diabetics and reduce their risk of developing cancer.
In the meantime, this research points to yet another reason why it’s important for people with diabetes to keep their blood sugar under control.
