Objective
The objective of our research proposal is to make and test a potential treatment for patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D). This potential treatment will be designed to help the body stop itself from attacking the pancreas, the organ that controls blood sugar levels.
Background Rationale
Type 1 diabetes is a debilitating autoimmune disease. Patients with type 1 diabetes require life-long treatment with insulin-replacement therapy and currently, there is no cure. Autoimmune diseases occur when the body mistakenly attacks itself. In the case of type 1 diabetes , the body attacks and destroys the part of the pancreas that makes insulin, which controls blood sugar levels. One of the reasons why the body attacks itself is because regulatory T cells, cells that stop autoimmune disease from happening, do not work properly. We plan to take regulatory T cells from patients with type 1 diabetes and make them better able to stop the body from attacking itself. We will make this potential treatment and test if it works in the laboratory.
Description of Project
Type 1 diabetes is a debilitating autoimmune disease. Patients with type 1 diabetes require life-long treatment with insulin-replacement therapy and currently, there is no cure. Autoimmune diseases occur when the body mistakenly attacks itself. In the case of type 1 diabetes , the body attacks and destroys the part of the pancreas that makes insulin, which controls blood sugar levels. One of the reasons why the body attacks itself is because regulatory T cells, cells that stop autoimmune disease from happening, do not work properly. We plan to take regulatory T cells from patients with type 1 diabetes and make them better able to stop the body from attacking itself. We will make this potential treatment and test if it works in the laboratory.
If our tests of the potential treatment show that it can stop disease progression, we will test the potential treatment in patients with type 1 diabetes. This will help us know if the treatment works in humans. A treatment that helps the body to stop attacking itself may 3 key benefits. First, it may slow down or stop further loss of the part of the pancreas that makes insulin in patients newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. This may help reduce a patient's insulin needs. Second, it may help protect newly transplanted pancreas cells in patients who have this procedure. Last, it may prevent type 1 diabetes from occurring if it is given to patients who are at risk of getting type 1 diabetes. This has the potential to free patients from life-long insulin-replacement therapy.
Anticipated Outcome
If our tests of the potential treatment show that it can stop disease progression, we will test the potential treatment in patients with type 1 diabetes. This will help us know if the treatment works in humans.
Relevance to T1D
Patients with type 1 diabetes require life-long treatment with insulin-replacement therapy and currently, there is no cure. A treatment that helps the body to stop attacking itself may 3 key benefits. First, it may slow down or stop further loss of the part of the pancreas that makes insulin in patients newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. This may help reduce a patient's insulin needs. Second, it may help protect newly transplanted pancreas cells in patients who have this procedure. Last, it may prevent type 1 diabetes from occurring if it is given to patients who are at risk of getting type 1 diabetes. This has the potential to free patients from life-long insulin-replacement therapy.