Is it possible to prevent type I diabetes?

January 27, 2015  20:28

Scientists at Saint Louis University have managed to stop the development of autoimmune reaction, that causes type I diabetes in an animal model.

The results of the study, conducted by Thomas Burris and his collegues was published in the journal Endocrinology. Type I diabetes occurs when the body’s immune system destroys insulin producing pancreatic beta cells, resulting in insulin deficiency and hyperglycemia. Current treatments for type I diabetes focus on controlling blood sugar with insulin therapy and must continue throughout a person’s life.

During the study specialists focused on the autoimmune process, proceded the disease, that destroys beta cells of pancreas. Scientists already knew that at least two types of immune “T-cells” contribute to the development of type I diabetes.

In this study, researchers found that two nuclear receptors play critical roles in the development of TH17 cells, and that by targeting these receptors, they were able to stop autoimmunity from developing in several mouse models, sparing beta cells.

The team blocked the receptors (ROR alpha and gamma t) with SR1001 (a selective ROR alpha and gamma t inverse agonist developed by scientists), significantly reducing diabetes in mice that were treated with it.

These results confirm that TH17 cells likely play a key role in the development of type I diabetes and suggest that the use of drugs that target this cell type may offer a new treatment for the illness.

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