Researchers uncover new mechanism for deadly blood clots (High blood sugar activates bad clotting mechanism that kills 80% of diabetics)

Medical Xpress / Brigham and Women's Hospital / Science Translational Medicine ^ | Jan. 10, 2022 | Wandi Zhu et al

[ConservativeMind]

Nearly 80 percent of deaths from type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are associated with thrombosis, a condition that occurs when blood clots block a vein or artery. Traditionally, it's been thought that proteins released by damaged blood vessels may lead to inappropriate blood clotting, but a new study points to another trigger and a new mechanism that may underlie thrombosis. Beginning with samples from patients, investigators identified the new mechanism that activated PIEZO1, a major mechanosensory ion channel. In the lab, the team examined its effects and its potential as a therapeutic target for preventing thrombosis or identifying people at heightened risk.

"One of our goals is to identify human markers of disease that will allow us to characterize a disease at higher resolution. When we looked at blood samples from patients with diabetes, we noticed an increase in the activation of PIEZO1. We realized this mechanism might be not only in play in diabetes but also in blood clotting in other conditions," said senior author Calum MacRae, MD, Ph.D.

Researchers screened and tested blood samples from patients with or without T2DM, assessing cellular responses at the level of the individual patient. The team found multiple lines of evidence pointing to a key role for PIEZO1. Importantly, they found that elevations in blood glucose were sufficient to increase PIEZO1 in blood samples from many patients with T2DM, setting off a cascade of responses that can drive blood clotting.

The researchers also examined what would happen if they inhibited this mechanism. In an animal model of hyperglycemia (high blood sugar levels) and in blood samples from patients, inhibiting PIEZO1 prevented clot formation.

The authors note that additional study is needed before the work can be translated into clinical applications. Understanding the potential side effects of inhibiting PIEZO1 will be key.

[ConservativeMind]

This would also seem to point to low blood sugar effectively reversing the threat of abnormal blood clotting.

[ConservativeMind]

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[Skywise]

Which would also explain why fasting seems to have health benefits.

Seems to be an odd association though. I can’t see how high glucose alone would trigger a clotting action and then only in type 2s. I’m betting it’s more likely high insulin or the body kicking in some sort of defense mechanism when it detects high glucose.

[SubMareener]

We have gone full Keto for the past year, and I have lost 50 pounds. Munk Fruit is your friend! My wife is down 25, but she had less to loose.

[DCBryan1]

Pics of thin wife or it didn’t happen ;)

[Trumpisourlastchance]

Congratulations. I’m down 20 pounds in 6 months. Never felt better. Refined sugars/carbs are poison.

[BiglyCommentary]

Nice thing is you dont have to go hungry like the starvation diets.

[Taffini]

*

[Karoo]

Seems like I heard a physician on DoctorRadio say that diabetes is a vascular disease.

[dforest]

Dang all these medical things covered and explained faster than lightning lately. How about that?