Treatment with an Antagomir directed against miR92a results in reduced attacks of immune cells (green) on the insulin (white) producing beta cells directly in the pancreas. Moreover, the treatment leads to more regulatory T’cells (red) able to protect the beta cells. (Photo: Helmholtz Zentrum Munich)
Research news - In type 1 diabetes, the body attacks its own insulin-producing cells. Scientists at Technical University of Munich (TUM), at Helmholtz Zentrum München and the German Center for Diabetes Research have now reported in the journal 'PNAS' about a mechanism used by the immune system to prepare for this attack. They were able to inhibit this process through targeted intervention. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the body destroys its own beta cells in the pancreas. Researchers are still seeking to find out what causes this malfunction of the immune system in order to intervene therapeutically in the processes. A team led by Dr. Carolin Daniel, group leader at the Institute of Diabetes Research (IDF) of Helmholtz Zentrum München, has now discovered a further piece in solving this puzzle. 'For the first time, we were able to show that in the affected children an increased number of specific immune cells are found in the blood at the beginning of the autoimmune response,' said Daniel.
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