Now a vaccine for diabetes? The Swedish study shows promising results in studies of drugs that enable people to continue producing insulin
- Swedish scientists claim a clinical trial for a potential vaccine for type 1 diabetes has shown “promising results”.
- In type 1 diabetes, the body’s immune system attacks cells that produce insulin
- Now researchers have found that injecting a protein into a patient’s lymph nodes preserves their ability to produce insulin
Swedish scientists claim a clinical study of a potential vaccine for type 1 diabetes has shown “promising results”.
The drug enables patients with the disease to continue producing insulin, researchers at Linköping University said.
In type 1 diabetes, the body’s immune system attacks the cells that produce insulin, which means that the body can no longer regulate blood sugar levels.
Now researchers have found that injecting a protein called GAD – glutamic acid decarboxylase – into a patient’s lymph nodes preserves their ability to produce insulin.
In type 1 diabetes, the body’s immune system attacks the cells that produce insulin, which means that the body can no longer regulate blood sugar levels
What is Type 1 Diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes is an unavoidable autoimmune disease that usually develops in childhood. However, type 2 diabetes is mainly caused by poor diet.
It affects around 400,000 people in the UK, one of the highest rates in the world. Around 1.25 million Americans are also affected.
It starts when the body mistakenly targets insulin-producing cells in the pancreas that help maintain blood sugar levels.
As a result, it can drastically affect the main organs of the body, forcing people to inject themselves regularly with insulin.
Researchers have worked to find out how the immune system can be prevented from attacking the insulin-producing cells.
Professor Johnny Ludvigsson of Linköping University has spent years studying the possibility of vaccinating GAD in people newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.
It is to be hoped that the immune system will become tolerant of the body’s own GAD and no longer destroy the insulin-producing cells – which could ultimately mean that those affected could produce some insulin.
“Studies have shown that even extremely low levels of insulin production in the body are of great benefit to patient health,” said Professor Ludvigsson, who works at the university’s Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences.
He continued, “People with diabetes who make a certain amount of insulin naturally are less likely to develop low blood sugar and hypoglycemia.
“You also have a lower risk of developing life-threatening ketoacidosis, which can occur with low insulin levels.”
In a phase 2 clinical study, 190 participants between the ages of 12 and 24 who had been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes within six months were injected with the GAD protein into their lymph nodes.
One group received three injections one month apart with a substance called GAD alum. The other group received a placebo.
The participant’s natural insulin production was measured at the start of the study and after 15 months. The scientists also recorded the participant’s long-term blood sugar levels and how much extra insulin they used each day.
The study, published in Diabetes Care, found that genetic factors played a role in how well the participant responded to the evolving diabetes vaccine.
Researchers have worked to find out how the immune system can be prevented from attacking the insulin-producing cells.
Genes known as HLA genes can look for proteins that are on the surface of some cells and act as “holders” for the proteins. The HLA genes then expose them to immune system cells that pass by.
If the protein comes from something harmful, like bacteria, the immune system makes antibodies against the foreign protein. Unfortunately, this process also causes the immune system to attack its own proteins such as insulin producers.
In their study, the researchers found that participants with the HA gene variant HLA-DR3-DQ2 expose the GAD proteins to the immune system and thus trigger type 1 diabetes.
Professor Ludvigsson said about half of the patients in the new study had the HLA-DR3-DQ2 gene variant.
While the vaccine did not elicit any significant treatment for maintaining insulin production, the shocks were beneficial to the patients with the HLA gene variant and did not appear to have any adverse side effects on the participants.
‘The patients in the subgroup with the HLA genes of type DR3-DQ2 did not lose insulin production as quickly as the other patients. In contrast, we could not find any significant effect in patients without this HLA type, ”said Professor Ludvigsson.
He added, “Treatment with GAD alum appears to be a promising, easier, and safer way to maintain insulin production in about half of patients with type 1 diabetes who have the right type of HLA.
“For this reason, we look forward to larger studies and hope that they will lead to a drug that can change the progression of type 1 diabetes.”
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR DIABETES PATIENTS TO MEASURE YOUR GLUCOSE LEVELS?
Diabetes is a serious lifelong condition that occurs when the amount of sugar in the blood becomes too high because the body cannot use it properly.
Patients need to regularly monitor their glucose levels to prevent them from developing potentially fatal complications.
Type 1 diabetes patients are often recommended to have their blood sugar tested at least four times a day. For type 2 patients, doctors recommend doing a test twice a day.
The blood sugar level should be between 3.5 and 5.5 mmol / L before meals and below 8 mmol / L two hours after meals.
Diabetes patients need to regularly monitor their glucose levels to prevent them from developing potentially fatal complications
Hypoglycemia (when blood sugar falls below 4 mmol / L) can occasionally cause patients to fall into a coma in severe cases.
Most often, however, it can be treated by eating or drinking 15 to 20 g of fast-acting carbohydrate, such as 200 ml of Lucozade Energy Original.
Sufferers may find they are experiencing hypo if they suddenly feel tired, have trouble concentrating, or feel dizzy.
Type 1 diabetes patients are more likely to have hypo due to the drugs they take, including insulin.
Hyperglycemia (if the blood sugar is above 11.0 mmol / L two hours after a meal) can also have life-threatening complications.
It happens when the body either has too little insulin, as seen with type 1, or when it cannot use its supply properly, mostly with type 2.
In the short term, conditions like ketoacidosis can occur, in which ketones are released into the body.
If left untreated, hyperglycemia can lead to long-term complications such as impotence and limb amputation.
Regular exercise can help lower blood sugar levels over time, and a healthy diet and proper meal planning can also avoid dangerous spikes.
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