DRC & Research News

The coronavirus pandemic has hit many countries around the world very hard, with millions of people being diagnosed with COVID-19. At the same time, researchers have also found that new cases of type 1 diabetes (T1D) have also grown. Though there is no definitive link between COVID-19 and T1D, scientists do know that in some cases, the virus may contribute to increased beta cell damage. Diabetes occurs when insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas are damaged or destroyed.

A small study in England found that the number of new cases of T1D at two of its five Pediatric Diabetes Network locations increased by 80 percent in April and May. Over the past five years, these two locations diagnosed an average of two and four new cases respectively during those two months, whereas this year, they have each diagnosed 10 new cases. Across the five sites, 30 children and teenagers (all under age 17) were diagnosed with T1D, and 21 of these individuals experienced diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). Out of those 21 cases, 11 were considered severe, and 12 children experienced clinical shock resulting in four being admitted to pediatric intensive care units.

Although only two of the children tested positive for COVID-19 when admitted to the hospital, another 3 tested positive for antibodies meaning they had been previously exposed to the virus.

England is not the only country that has seen an increase in new T1D cases either. Studies in China and Italy both showed that since the pandemic started, they have seen more children than usual being diagnosed with T1D. There was no distinct tie between COVID-19 infections and diabetes in these countries either.

Additional research is needed to determine whether COVID-19 may play a role in T1D risk. There is still a lot about the virus that researchers do not know, and they are still exploring its short- and long-term effects on health. The Diabetes Research Connection (DRC), though not involved in this study, is committed to advancing research around type 1 diabetes and provides critical funding to early-career scientists. Learn more about current projects and how you can help by visiting https://diabetesresearchconnection.org.

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Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a chronic condition that often develops in early childhood, though it can present later in life for some. Researchers believe that it stems from a variety genetic and environmental risk factors. Oftentimes individuals do not realize they have T1D until they experience an episode of hyperglycemia or diabetic ketoacidosis. These are serious and potentially life-threatening conditions that must be treated immediately.

Recognizing risk factors early on can help doctors to be proactive and better manage children’s health to reduce complications. A recent study from The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) involved 7,798 children from around the world who were identified as being at high risk of developing T1D. The study followed them for nine years, starting at birth, and assigned participants a risk score based on “genetics, clinical factors such as family history of diabetes, and their count of islet autoantibodies – biomarkers known to be implicated in type 1 diabetes.”

This approach improved newborn screenings and the ability to predict the development of T1D. In addition, it allowed doctors to educate families about the disease early on. By more accurately assessing risk, researchers can target clinical trials for preventing the disease to those children who may benefit most. Early detection also allows for improved treatment and management of the disease from the start, which may reduce complications.

Recognizing risk of type 1 diabetes and developing effective prevention strategies is essential. Researchers are continually advancing their knowledge and testing different therapies and approaches to slow or stop T1D. This is an exciting step forward in prevention and treatment efforts. The Diabetes Research Connection (DRC) is interested to see how this study could influence diabetes management.

Research across all stages of the disease is critical. The DRC empowers early-career scientists to pursue novel, peer-reviewed research studies focused on type 1 diabetes by providing key funding. One hundred percent of research funds go directly to the scientists. To learn more about current projects and how to help, visit https://diabetesresearchconnection.org.

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Currently, the most effective method for managing type 1 diabetes is regularly testing blood sugar levels and administering insulin. However, this can be hard on patients and on their bodies, and it does not control type 1 diabetes (T1D) as well as the pancreas does naturally on its own. But in individuals with T1D, the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys insulin-producing beta cells produced by the pancreas, which is why insulin injections are necessary.

Researchers have been testing methods of transplanting pancreatic islet cells into patients with T1D in an effort to replicate or restimulate the body’s natural process for managing blood sugar. One of the challenges that they have faced is keeping transplanted cells alive and functioning for more than a few days or possibly weeks. They often do not establish the proper vascularization or oxygenation necessary for survival. In some cases, they are once again attacked and destroyed by the immune system.

A recent study shows encouraging results when it comes to islet cell transplantation, however. Rather than transplanting the cells into or near the liver, scientists placed them under the skin. The islets were encapsulated in a collagen-based matrix that provided a layer of protection while also improving the amount of oxygen the cells received. Scientists are not entirely sure why this process works, but it has shown positive results in mouse models.

One hundred mice whose pancreases had been removed were transplanted with collagen-encased islet cells from mice, pigs, and humans. Results showed that the mice did not require insulin injections to control blood sugar levels for up to 100 days. It is important to note that tests in mouse models do not always translate exactly the same in human models. Scientists do not yet know if humans would experience the same response to this approach. More testing is needed.

But it is a step in the right direction toward improving diabetes management and stimulating a more natural and effective process. Though not involved with this particular study, the Diabetes Research Connection (DRC) is committed to advancing understanding and treatment of the disease by providing critical funding to early career scientists. One hundred percent of donations go directly to researchers and their projects. Learn more and find out how to help by visiting https://diabetesresearchconnection.org.

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As the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, scientists from around the world have been conducting studies and analyzing data to better understand how the virus impacts humans and what may make some people more susceptible to severe infection or complications than others. While there is still a lot about the virus that scientists don’t yet understand, there have been some interesting findings from current data, including regarding diabetes and COVID-19.

In general, researchers know that individuals with comorbidities such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and chronic kidney disease (CKD) tend to have higher risk of developing complications and requiring hospital or ICU admission and mechanical ventilator use. They also tend to have a greater risk of mortality.

There have been a lot of interesting findings emerging regarding race and ethnicity when it comes to COVID-19. Hispanic, Black, and American Indian populations have been disproportionately affected by the virus, but it is still unclear why these disparities exist. Furthermore, although these populations have higher rates of contracting the virus, they do not demonstrate higher risk of severe infection requiring mechanical ventilation or resulting in mortality. Obesity, diabetes, and CVD do exist within these groups, which are general comorbidities across the general population, not specific to race or ethnicity.

When it comes to diabetes, many of the studies that have been conducted so far have not demonstrated a significant difference in terms of diabetes type and outcomes. Individuals with type 1 and type 2 diabetes both face risk of complications and poorer outcomes. Having poor glycemic control can increase risk of mortality, and it was shown to induce hyperglycemia in both patients with and without pre-existing diabetes.

Scientists have also found many overlaps between COVID-19 and diabetes. For example, having comorbidities puts individuals at greater risk of complications, and due to the nature of diabetes, patients who are diabetic tend to struggle with obesity, CVD, CKD and hypertension, which are all risk factors for COVID-19 complications. It can be a vicious cycle. Unfortunately, there have not been many large studies regarding pediatric patients with diabetes and COVID-19, but the studies that exist show that obesity, diabetes, and congenital heart disease all put pediatric patients at greater risk.

Researchers are taking a closer look at the role of viral infection load on cell death, inflammatory cytokine production, and immune response as well, especially as it relates to diabetes. COVID-19 is believed to increase cytokine levels, which in turn can increase risk of multi-organ failure, hyperglycemia, and tissue injury. Diabetes also leads to inflammation, poor glycemic control, and multi-tissue injury. These similarities between conditions can exacerbate complications in individuals with both diabetes and COVID-19. Plus, some studies have shown that COVID-19 may actually trigger new onset type 1 diabetes as a result of damage to beta cells.

Since COVID-19 has only been around for less than a year, it is difficult for scientists to accurately predict any long-term effects. However, they believe that it could aggravate pre-existing CVD or induce new cardiac pathology that may have lasting effects. In addition, due to the overlapping pathology of COVID-19, diabetes, and pre-existing comorbidities, that may put patients with diabetes at greater risk of complications in the future, even after recovery from active infection.

The Diabetes Research Connection (DRC) is committed to supporting research not just for diabetes and COVID-19, but for type 1 diabetes in general. The organization ensures that researchers receive necessary funding to carry out their projects and make meaningful contributions to the body of work that exists around T1D. These studies can help to improve diagnosis, treatment, and management of the disease, as well as improve quality of life and reduce risk of complications. To learn more about current projects and how to help, visit https://diabetesresearchconnection.org.

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One of the approaches scientists have been testing for reversing or better controlling type 1 diabetes is the use of allogeneic pancreatic islet transplants. By reintroducing healthy insulin-producing islets, they aim to support the body in naturally regulating and stimulating insulin production to manage blood glucose levels.

A major challenge to this technique, however, is the immune system’s rejection of the graft following transplantation. As with organ transplants, scientists were forced to suppress the immune response in order to keep cells from attacking and destroying the islets. But immunosuppression is not a long-term solution for islet graft transplantation because the potential risks and health effects can outweigh the benefits.

In a recent study, scientists explored the possibility of controlling a localized immune response rather than a systemic one. They designed a synthetic platform that contains microgel made of biomaterials that can deliver checkpoint proteins to regulate cell death.  They used a chemeric streptavidin/programmed cell death-1 (SA-PD-L1) protein. In addition to this protein, they added a short, two-week administration of rapamycin to help the body adjust to the transplant while curbing rejection risk. This approach enabled sustained survival of allogeneic islet grafts without the need for chronic systemic immunosuppression.

These results demonstrate the potential benefits of using synthetic microgels in combination with immunomodulatory ligands and specific antibodies to manage immune response to allogeneic pancreatic islet grafts. While additional research is needed, this is a step toward improving therapeutic modalities for treating or potentially reversing type 1 diabetes.

The Diabetes Research Connection (DRC) is interested to see how this study influences future work on islet transplantation as an option for managing type 1 diabetes. The DRC is committed to advancing research within the field through providing critical funding to early career scientists pursing novel research studies focused on all aspects of type 1 diabetes. Learn more about current projects and how to help by visiting https://diabetesresearchconnection.org.

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