Researchers in Richland, Washington, have made significant progress in figuring out who is most likely to develop type 1 diabetes. About 1.6 million American adults( 20 years of age or older ) are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, and about 250, 000 children( younger than 20 years old) have the disease, according to the Center for Disease Control ( CDC ). When the pancreas produces little to no insulin, a hormone that enables sugars to enter cells for energy, type 1 diabetes results. Type 1 diabetes is brought on by a variety of factors, including genetics and some viruses. Due to the fact that the illness typically manifests in childhood, it was frequently referred to as juvenile diabetes. Sadly, despite the vast amount of research done, there is no treatment for type 1 diabetes. The standard of care currently includes treatment to reduce the effects through insulin diets and lifestyle choices.
Scientists may have discovered proteins that predict who will develop type 1 diabetes, even though there may not be a cure for the condition. A group of altered proteins that predict islet autoimmunity, a risk factor for type 1 diabetes, were discovered by researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory( PNNL ) under the direction of Dr. Thomas O. Metz. Scientists caution that this is not a conclusive finding and is only the first step in concretely predicting who will develop type 1 diabetes in Cell Reports Medicine.
The study is the culmination of a nine-year TEDDY( The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young ) by PNNL that examined proteins from more than 8,000 blood samples in 1, 000 children who were thought to be genetically predisposed to type 1 diabetes. Children up to six years old were used to collect the blood samples. The proteins thought to be responsible for predicting type 1 diabetes were identified and broken down by researchers using machine learning. Metz and colleagues discovered 83 altered proteins in these samples that predicted islet autoimmunity or type 1 diabetes. Further research revealed that the 83 proteins were involved in metabolism, inflammatory response, blood clotting, and immune system activation. Given that each of these processes is crucial to immune function, it is reasonable to assume how these proteins will work. If these proteins were found to be altered, it would be clear that the protein function would change significantly. As a result, the immune system would change, possibly resulting in type 1 diabetes or autoimmunity.
What causes islet autoimmunity or type 1 diabetes is currently unknown. The identification of these 83 proteins, however, raises the possibility of an early autoimmunity detection. Early detection leads to early intervention to stop or manage symptoms, which would enhance patients’ lives. Our understanding of how and why the body attacks itself through autoimmune disorders will also be further advanced by this discovery.
Doctors would be better able to start treating and caring for their patients if a potential predictive biomarker of autoimmunity was found. To learn more about the mechanisms underlying type 1 diabetes, Metz and colleagues have started an exciting journey. By identifying the condition earlier and taking action before it manifests, their research has significant ramifications for the health and treatment of pediatric patients who are predisposed to type 1 diabetes. & nbsp,
CDC, Cell Reports Medicine, Thomas O. Metz, PNNL, and Teddie are all reported.