Type 1 Diabetes Prevention

Scientists have dawned upon a preventive therapy that can adequately tackle Type 1 Diabetes also known as Juvenile diabetes. It works on by making the killer immune cells in the body to tolerate with insulin-producing cells that they normally destroy before the disease sets in humans.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder where the body begins to destroy its own insulin producing cells. As a general rule, the disease sets pretty early in adolescence. Children with type 1 diabetes depend on daily insulin injections in order to control their blood sugar levels. It is a disease that requires lifelong treatment. In United State alone more that 13 thousand children are diagnosed with diabetes every year and around 1 million American have to deal with the disease every day.

PhD student Eliana Mario and Dr Shane Grey, from Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Sydney, have amply illustrated on the used of a specific molecule in bringing up a preventive therapy in coming times. Past studies exhibited the action of B cells and their migration to the pancreas in general and pancreatic lymph nodes in particular. This transition allows particular insulin antigen to T cells. In short, the B cells travel to the point of disease and intimate the T cells to destroy insulin-producing cells.

During the research, scientist found that mice that catch hold of Type I diabetes demonstrated a peculiarity; by blocking BAFF before the onset, the mice will not developed diabetes. BAFF is a hormone that restrains the life of B cells. The researchers further found out that palliation of B cells resulted in an enhancement of number of immune system regulators or the T regulatory cells.

In the absence of B cells, the general pattern inclined towards T regulatory cells making the killer T cells function as normal and tolerate against the insulin producing cells. Grey and his co-workers have blocked BAFF through a molecule called BCMA. The selfsame molecule is also being studied for diseases like Sjogren's syndrome and Lupus.

Note : Type 1 diabetes is estimated to account for 5 -10% of the total of diabetes cases. Autoimmune, genetic, and environmental are the main factors for the development of this type of diabetes. Common symptoms of Type 1 diabetes include excessive urination, thirst, hunger, irritability, lose of weight and etc.