Researchers Uncover Why a Rare Disease Resulting in Abnormal Fat Loss Can Also Lead to Diabetes

University of Michigan researchers have identified a key reason people with the rare disorder familial partial lipodystrophy type 2 develop diabetes. Led by Elif Oral and Ormond A. MacDougald, the team discovered that fat cells begin to break down at the molecular level long before visible fat loss, disrupting metabolism and fueling inflammation. The findings point to new opportunities for earlier diagnosis and more targeted treatment.