Examining the genetic information of patients with type 1 diabetes (top) can help to pinpoint the genetic variations linked to changes in the immune system (cells at the bottom). Image credit: Xiaojing Chu; illustration created with Biorender.com (CC BY 4.0)
Every year around the world, over 100,000 people are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. This disease develops when the immune system mistakenly destroys the cells that produce a hormone called insulin, leaving affected individuals unable to regulate their blood sugar levels. Type 1 diabetes patients must rely on regular injections of manufactured insulin to survive.
The composition and activity of the human immune system is under genetic control, and people with certain changes in their genes are more susceptible than others to develop type 1 diabetes. Previous studies have identified around 60 locations in the human DNA (known as loci) associated with the condition, but it remains unclear how these loci influence the immune system and whether diabetes will emerge.
Chu, Janssen, Koenen et al. explored how variations in genetic information can influence the composition of the immune system, and the type of molecules it releases to perform its role. To do so, blood samples from 243 individuals of Dutch descent with type 1 diabetes were collected, and genetic associations were investigated.
The results revealed that a major type of immune actors known as T cells are under the control of genetic factors associated with type 1 diabetes susceptibility. For instance, a specific type of T cells showed shared genetic control with type 1 diabetes. In addition, 15 loci were identified that influenced immune responses in the patients. Among those, 12 have never been reported to be involved in immune responses in healthy people, implying that these regions might only regulate the immune system of individuals with type 1 diabetes and other similar disorders. Finally, Chu, Janssen, Koenen et al. propose 11 genes within the identified loci as potential targets for new diabetes medication. These results represent an important resource for researchers exploring the genetic and immune basis of type 1 diabetes, and they could open new avenues for drug development.
