Project summary
There’s evidence that common viral infections in children may play a part in triggering the immune system attack at the root of type 1 diabetes. But we don’t yet understand how or why only some children are affected. Dr Kasra Bahadori will study children’s immune responses to uncover missing pieces of the puzzle, with the aim of developing treatments that could prevent viruses from triggering type 1 diabetes.
Background to research
Type 1 diabetes develops when the immune system mistakenly attacks insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Scientists believe that our environment plays a role in the development of type 1 diabetes, in combination with our genes.
There’s evidence that viral infections could be one potential environmental trigger, especially those caused by enteroviruses. These viruses are very common, and most children catch them at some point. But only a small number of children go on to develop type 1 diabetes. This suggests that their immune systems may respond to the virus differently. But we don’t currently understand how or why.
The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) study has been following children with a high genetic risk of type 1 diabetes from birth to discover more about environmental triggers of type 1. TEDDY has collected samples from children at multiple points in time, including before, during and after viral infections. This provides a rare opportunity to investigate how viruses change children’s immune responses.
Research aims
Dr Kasra Bahadori will explore how children’s immune systems respond to enteroviruses and how these responses may play a role in triggering type 1 diabetes.
Working with TEDDY researchers, Dr Bahadori will study blood samples from children who went on to develop type 1 diabetes and those who didn’t. They’ll look at 12 different types of cells in the immune system – including those that react to viruses and those that target and destroy insulin-producing cells. They'll use cutting-edge technology that shows what’s happening inside each individual immune cell.
By comparing children who did and did not develop type 1 diabetes, and those with short-term viral infections or long-lasting ones, the team will build a detailed map of different immune responses. This will help them to uncover immune changes that tip the balance from a normal immune response to a virus, to an autoimmune attack and the beginning of type 1 diabetes.
Potential benefit to people with diabetes
This study could provide the clearest picture yet of how viruses might trigger type 1 diabetes, and why only some children are susceptible.
By uncovering the hidden steps between a viral infection and the start of type 1 diabetes, the findings could lead to new ways of identifying children at higher risk of type 1 diabetes. It could also help scientists develop new immunotherapy treatments that change how the immune system responds to a virus, or vaccines that stop the virus in the first place.
This would signal a major shift in how we approach type 1 diabetes, moving us from managing the condition after it appears to stopping it before it begins.
