The discovery of distinctive T-cell signatures in children recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes could further help experts identify who is at risk of developing the condition and may benefit from preventative treatment.
The research by a team from the University of Eastern Finland also identified the specific signatures in CD8-positive T cells in blood samples of autoantibody-positive children who went on to develop type 1 diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes normally develops in childhood and is an autoimmune disease, which is when the body starts to attack healthy cells.
- Mediterranean diet could lower heart disease risk in people with type 1 diabetes
- New international guidance for early-stage type 1 diabetes monitoring and support
- Global increase in number of people with type 1 diabetes living longer
Lead author and University Teacher Anna-Mari Schroderus said: “Our findings suggest that before disease onset, children who later progress to clinical type 1 diabetes have a distinct CD8-positive T-cell profile detectable in their blood samples.
It could be envisioned that this is a potential, but eventually failing attempt of the immune system to harness the harmful autoimmune response.
“In the future, these T-cell signatures could potentially be used to develop better biomarkers for evaluating the risk of developing type 1 diabetes, and who would benefit from preventative immunotherapy.
“Additionally, a deeper characterisation of these interesting cell types is warranted to better understand the type 1 diabetes disease process.”
Type 1 diabetes occurs as a result of the T-cell facilitated destruction of beta cells in the pancreas, which produce insulin.
In particular, CD4-positive helper T cells coordinate the response by the autoimmune system and CD8-positive cytotoxic T cells play a key role in the destruction of the beta cells.
- Scientists develop experimental type 1 diabetes drug which shields insulin-making cells from immune system attack
- NHS rolls out hybrid closed loop systems for people with type 1 diabetes
- Glucose fluctuations affect cognitive function in people with type 1 diabetes
Recently, a certain blood CD8-positive T-cell signature has been linked to a positive response to immunotherapy treatments designed to delay type 1 diabetes onset.
In these latest findings, researchers identified two specific signatures in a subset of CD8-positive T cells in children who either had just been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes or who later developed the disease.
Promisingly, one of the signatures is similar to the CD8-positive T-cell signature which was found to respond positively to immunotherapy in previous studies.
Read the study in full in Diabetes.
