Type 1 diabetes : altered cell before the symptoms

Anetta/epictura

Published the 16.10.2017 at 14: 50

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Keywords :

diabetes type 1système immunitairebiomarqueur

Detect type 1 diabetes before it appears would be possible. Some of the cells of the body show alterations even before the first signs of the disease, as discovered by the researchers from the Cochin Institute (Paris), associated with colleagues of the university hospital Necker-Sick Children (AP-HP).

The cells in question are the lymphocytes, MAIT (Mucosal-Associated Invariant T cells), which are associated with mucous membranes and are able to recognize the microbiota.

This discovery, published in Nature Immunology, suggests that these cells could constitute a new biomarker for the early detection of type 1 diabetes. They could even be a therapeutic target to prevent the onset of this autoimmune disease.

The microbiota in question

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease resulting from the destruction by the immune system of beta cells in the pancreas. They are responsible to secrete insulin. Their destruction is most often attributed to self-reactive T cells.

But the innate immune system – which is the first line of protection of the body, also plays an important role in the onset of type 1 diabetes. The cells MAIT. They are activated by bacteria, and in particular, those of the intestinal flora, the microbiota.

However, in type 1 diabetes, we observed alterations of the microbiota (” dysbiosis “), and abnormalities of the intestinal mucosa. This is why the researchers were interested in the potential role of cell-MAIT in these disorders.