1 diabetes develops when the body's immune system malfunctions, destroying the cells in the pancreas that make insulin, which controls the level of glucose in the blood. People with Type 1 diabetes must inject insulin to replace what the body can no longer produce on its own. Even with a regime of daily insulin injections, however, over time diabetes can damage almost every organ in the body, leading to dangerous complications. These include circulatory system problems, kidney failure, periodontal problems, nerve damage, and blindness.
RAGE allows cells to sense and respond to environmental cues.
The ligand can be thought of as the key and the receptor as the lock. Some of these ligands, called inflammatory mediators, are found in tumors and in the bodies of people with diabetes. When these ligands accumulate, they cause a cell to produce more RAGE molecules. This ligand-RAGE interaction leads to an ascending spiral of cell damage that drives the disease process forward. In particular, RAGE plays a central role in the development of diabetes complications, including heart and blood vessel disease and nerve damage.