Researchers identify early clue in Type 1 diabetes progression
Scientists at the University of Florida’s Diabetes Institute have discovered an early biological marker that signals the onset of Type 1 diabetes, according to findings published in the journal Diabetes, Qazinform News Agency cites WAM.
The study revealed that the smallest clusters of insulin-producing beta cells, along with single scattered cells in the pancreas, are the first to die when the immune system begins its attack. This occurs even before symptoms appear.
As the disease progresses, the immune system targets larger clusters known as the islets of Langerhans.
“If we can save these remaining bigger islets of Langerhans, perhaps one day we could prevent or delay the disease,” said senior author Clive H. Wasserfall, Ph.D.
It also reveals smaller insulin-producing clusters vanish early, while larger islets remain intact in early-stage disease, the rate of cell loss differs, with smaller islets disappearing first. This may explain why children, who naturally have more small islets, lose insulin-producing ability faster than adults.
The team used advanced imaging and computer analysis on pancreatic tissue slides from the nPOD biorepository, the world’s largest collection of pancreatic tissue for Type 1 diabetes research.
The discovery could help doctors detect Type 1 diabetes earlier, enable quicker interventions to slow disease progression and provide a framework for future strategies to preserve insulin-producing cells, even as a cure remains elusive.
Earlier an international team of neuroscientists unveiled the most detailed map of brain activity during decision-making. The studies, published in Nature, brought together 12 laboratories across the United States and Europe and analyzed data from more than 600,000 neurons in the mouse brain.
