Diabetes mellitus type 2 estimated that 20% of people with diabetes in the United States do not realize that they have the disease. Diabetes mellitus type 2 is characterized by high blood glucose in the context of insulin resistance and relative insulin deficiency. This is in contrast to diabetes mellitus type 1 in which there is an absolute insulin deficiency due to destruction of islet cells in the pancreas and gestational diabetes mellitus that is a new onset of high blood sugars associated with pregnancy. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes can typically be distinguished based on the presenting circumstances. If the diagnosis is
Epigenetics of diabetes Type 2 indicator of an increased risk of contracting type 2 diabetes. There are a number of genes involved in chromatin methylation. One of these genes encodes the enzyme Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR). MTHFR is involved in reducing 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate to 5-methyltentetrahydrofolate. This reaction is a critical step in the conversion of homocysteine to methionine. The resulting product is a methyl donor that is required for CpG and histone methylation. Mutations in this gene can lead to reduced methylation at CpG sites, and these changes in methylation patterns may increase susceptibility for Type 2 Diabetes. The most common at the gene encoding MTHFR is