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Exploring the Impact of Type 1 Diabetes on Bone Health

The body continually goes through a cycle of bone formation and bone resorption. As bone tissue is broken down and calcium is released, new microstructures are formed to support bone growth. Issues with bone metabolism, such as low bone mineral density (BMD), can lead to osteoporosis and other conditions. Studies have shown that adults with type 1 diabetes often have lower BMD.

A recent study found that individuals with type 1 diabetes may be at risk for decreased BMD compared to individuals without the disease. In a study of 173 children and adolescents with T1D compared to 1,410 non-diabetic peers, there was a significant difference in bone turnover markers in participants with T1D. Researchers looked at three different markers based on BMD measurements and blood samples and found that individuals with T1D had fewer of all three types of markers. However, there was no significant difference between bone turnover markers and diabetes duration, or in BMD levels between the two groups.

According to Dr. Jens Otto Broby Madsen, a physician in the department of pediatrics and adolescent medicine at Herlev Hospital in Denmark, “Decreased bone turnover markers might be the first warning of a negative effect of type 1 diabetes on bone health. Bone turnover markers might be a way of screening for early changes, long before changes can be seen by DXA scans.”

This may help improve health, quality of life, and disease management in the future to decrease risk of other conditions in conjunction with T1D, or at least improve early detection. Diabetes Research Connection (DRC) strives to support novel research studies by providing critical funding to early career scientists to help them move forward with their work. It is these types of efforts that increase understanding about the disease and can improve diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and management of T1D. To learn more about current projects and how to help, visit https://diabetesresearchconnection.org.

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Role of the integrated stress response in type 1 diabetes pathogenesis
In individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D), the insulin-producing beta cells are spontaneously destroyed by their own immune system. The trigger that provokes the immune system to destroy the beta cells is unknown. However, accumulating evidence suggest that signals are perhaps first sent out by the stressed beta cells that eventually attracts the immune cells. Stressed cells adapt different stress mitigation systems as an adaptive response. However, when these adaptive responses go awry, it results in cell death. One of the stress response mechanisms, namely the integrated stress response (ISR) is activated under a variety of stressful stimuli to promote cell survival. However, when ISR is chronically activated, it can be damaging to the cells and can lead to cell death. The role of the ISR in the context of T1D is unknown. Therefore, in this DRC funded study, we propose to study the ISR in the beta cells to determine its role in propagating T1D.
Wearable Skin Fluorescence Imaging Patch for the Detection of Blood Glucose Level on an Engineered Skin Platform
zhang
A Potential Second Cure for T1D by Re-Educating the Patient’s Immune System
L Ferreira
Validating the Hypothesis to Cure T1D by Eliminating the Rejection of Cells From Another Person by Farming Beta Cells From a Patient’s Own Stem Cells
Han Zhu
Taming a Particularly Lethal Category of Cells May Reduce/Eliminate the Onset of T1D
JRDwyer 2022 Lab 1
Can the Inhibition of One Specific Body Gene Prevent Type 1 Diabetes?
Melanie
Is Cholesterol Exacerbating T1D by Reducing the Functionality and Regeneration Ability of Residual Beta Cells?
Regeneration Ability of Residual Beta Cells
A Call to Question… Is T1D Caused by Dysfunctionality of Two Pancreatic Cells (β and α)?
Xin Tong
Novel therapy initiative with potential path to preventing T1D by targeting TWO components of T1D development (autoimmune response and beta-cell survival)
flavia pecanha