Irish scientists have made a breakthrough which could help prevent obesity-driven type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes is a major health concern worldwide and an estimated 225,000 people in Ireland have the condition. One of the main risk factors for type 2 diabetes is obesity.

According to scientists at Maynooth University (MU), this is because excess abdominal fat causes fat cells to release what is known as a ‘pro-inflammatory' chemical, which can make the body less sensitive to the insulin it makes.

This can also disrupt the ability of insulin-responsive cells to carry out their job, resulting in insulin resistance, which often precedes the development of type 2 diabetes.

However the Maynooth scientists have discovered a protein in the body known as Pellino3, which may actually block obesity-driven inflammation. If this occurs, insulin resistance and diabetes could be prevented.

They said there is a direct link between this protein and the amount of abdominal fat tissue found in people. Obese people have very low levels of Pellino3, while healthy weight people have higher amounts.

The scientists believe that the low levels of Pellino3 in obese people are linked with the production of a very important pro-inflammatory protein - Il-1 - that is known to drive inflammation and diabetes.

"After nearly three years of research we have identified a new regulatory mechanism for controlling diet-induced diabetes by highlighting a critical role for Pellino3 in regulating inflammation.

"The identification of this new role for Pellino3 is an extremely exciting breakthrough and one that could have important implications for the fight against diseases such as type 2 diabetes," commented lead scientist, Prof Paul Moynagh.

He added that the team now hopes to build on this research ‘and attempt to understand how we may be able to control or manipulate the Pellino3 protein as a method of preventing diabetes disease amongst those at risk'.