New Study Identifies Proteins that Predict Type 1 Diabetes Months Before Symptoms

diabetes (emoticon from iStock)

Months before symptoms of a chronic condition affecting millions around the world appear, the possibility of infection can be diagnosed

Al Arabiya.net – Jamal Nazi

Posted on: July 12, 2023: 10:50 AM GST Last updated: July 12, 2023: 11:16 AM GST

Researchers analyzed the blood of children with a genetic predisposition to type 1 diabetes and identified a group of proteins that predict autoimmunity, which is thought to trigger the disease months before symptoms appear, according to a report published by the “New Atlas” website, quoting from Cell Reports Medicine.

To understand triggers and mechanisms

In type 1 diabetes, the body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-secreting beta cells in the pancreas. It is a chronic, incurable condition that affects millions of people worldwide, but the triggers and mechanisms behind the autoimmune response that triggers it are poorly understood.

Proteomics

Within proteomics, proteomics is used, among other things, to investigate when and where proteins are expressed, interact and how they participate in metabolic pathways. Proteomic analysis could provide a means to identify disease biomarkers.

Research results, conducted by scientists from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in Washington, report the potential for biomarkers that may detect the autoimmune process that leads to type 1 diabetes.

Exciting results

Thomas Metz, a researcher on the study, said it was “exciting about this work that it opens the door to discovering autoimmunity earlier than is currently available, giving an opportunity to learn more about what causes the immune system to turn on the body, and the findings could help understand the mechanisms.” The role that plays a role in the development of diabetes is better understood than is currently being done and provides potential targets for therapeutic intervention.”

The human pancreas contains three types of hormone-secreting cells, one of which is beta cells. At present, there is no way to determine whether a genetically predisposed person will develop autoimmunity to the small cells, destroying them and thus developing type 1 diabetes, as the diagnosis is usually made when the patient presents to a hospital or doctor’s office when they already have diabetes. Symptoms of high blood glucose.

discovery stage

The current study was conducted in two phases, the first being the discovery phase. The researchers studied 2,252 blood samples collected regularly from 184 children from birth to age six participating in the Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Youth Study. The researchers identified 376 altered proteins in children who were shown to have a genetic predisposition to diabetes.

Checking blood sugar by finger prick – iStock

Verification stage

The second stage was the validation stage, in which the researchers examined 6,426 blood plasma samples from 990 children, using a machine learning algorithm to help process a large number of samples, and a group of 83 proteins that predict a set of alterations in children, who continued to develop immunity, were identified. Self-predictors of type 1 diabetes. The proteins were discovered months before the onset of symptoms.
The researchers say the study is just the beginning of work they hope will be able to predict who will develop type 1 diabetes, and that they plan to continue analyzing blood samples taken from children in the study until they are 15 years old.

More comprehensive experiences

More research is needed to verify the results and see if the findings apply to everyone, not just children, selected from the study who have a genetic predisposition to diabetes.

Researchers say a biomarker that detects autoimmunity is being validated and gives the ability to monitor a patient for deteriorating health and lead to more prompt medical care, even before symptoms appear.

“At this stage, the research team is trying to understand how diabetes can be predicted,” said Ernesto Nakiasu, a researcher on the study, noting that “ultimately, the goal will be to prevent critical insulin-producing cells from deteriorating and thus prevent diabetes.” .

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2023-07-12 06:50:00

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