Research Highlights Protective Epigenetic Effects of Maternal Type 1 Diabetes on Offspring
Recent research from Helmholtz Munich has revealed a potential protective effect of maternal type 1 diabetes (T1D) against the advancement of islet autoimmunity in children.A study, published in Nature metabolism (Ott et al., 2025, DOI: 10.1038/s42255-025-01403-w), identified specific DNA methylation patterns – epigenetic modifications – in children exposed to maternal T1D that correlate with a reduced risk of developing islet autoimmunity.
Researchers found that children with islet autoimmunity exhibited significantly lower scores related to these protective epigenetic signatures, suggesting a link between these modifications and protection against the disease. the findings indicate that environmental factors, specifically maternal T1D, can influence risk through epigenetic changes at key T1D risk genes.
Building on this discovery, a follow-up project led by Prof.Sandra Hummel, and supported by a $550,000 grant from the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, aims to delve deeper into the mechanisms behind this protective effect. the research team, collaborating with Prof. Ezio Bonifacio and colleagues from the Center for regenerative therapies Dresden at the Technical University of Dresden, will investigate which T1D risk genes are epigenetically influenced by maternal diabetes. They will also explore whether similar epigenetic effects are observed in children of mothers with gestational diabetes.
The project will also investigate potential protein and metabolome biomarkers associated with DNA methylation patterns,and how these molecular changes contribute to protection against islet autoimmunity. Researchers will analyze biosamples from the GPPAD studies, the BABYDIAB and BABYDIÄT cohorts, and the Fr1da study.
The research is being conducted by Dr. Raffael Ott and Prof. Sandra Hummel at the Institute for Diabetes Research, Helmholtz Munich. Helmholtz Munich, a leading biomedical research center with approximately 2,500 employees, focuses on environmentally caused diseases, including diabetes, obesity, allergies, and chronic lung diseases, with the goal of developing groundbreaking solutions for a healthier society. It is a member of the Helmholtz Association, Germany’s largest scientific association.
Source: Ott et al., 2025: Blood methylome signatures in children exposed to maternal type 1 diabetes are linked to protection against islet autoimmunity. Nature Metabolism. DOI: 10.1038/s42255-025-01403-w. https://www.nature.com/articles/s42255-025-01403-w
Last edited: 07.11.2025
