It has been shown that in the intestine of patients with type 2 diabetes, there is an enhanced expression and activity of SGLT1 and GLUT2, and that this increased expression of SGLT1 and GLUT2 is independent of changes in blood glucose or insulin levels, and likely due to alterations in mechanisms and signalling pathways involved in the regulation of these sugar transporters [30]. This evidence concerns the gene SLC5A1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus.