Type 1 Diabetes Can be Predicted With Epigenetic Changes
upstart writes:
Type 1 diabetes can be predicted with epigenetic changes:
Epigenetic changes can affect how our genes work. Environmental factors, such as viral infections, can cause epigenetic changes.
Earlier studies have shown that certain antibodies detected in children's blood samples indicate an increased risk of developing type 1 diabetes in the near future. So that medical professionals could intervene in the disease even sooner, earlier disease indicators than the antibodies are needed to detect the risk. This involves searching for biomarkers indicating type 1 diabetes, and epigenetic changes could be such a biomarker.
[...] In Finland, children's risk of developing type 1 diabetes is the highest in the world. In addition to the genetic susceptibility, environmental factors have a great significance for developing the disease. The environmental factors include, for example, excessive level of hygiene, biodiversity loss, and environmental toxins.
The newly published studies are based on long-term interdisciplinary research collaboration with international partners. The project has included doctors who are in charge of the patients and also conduct clinical research, researchers in molecular medicine and immunology, and experts in computational science. In the studies, researchers analysed longitudinal samples with deep sequencing covering the entire genome as well as with computational methods and artificial intelligence.
Journal Reference:
Suomi, Tomi, Kalim, Ubaid Ullah, Rasool, Omid, et al. Type 1 Diabetes in Children With Genetic Risk May Be Predicted Very Early With a Blood miRNA, Diabetes Care (DOI: 10.2337/dc21-2120)
Starskaia, Inna, Laajala, Essi, Gronroos, Toni, et al. Early DNA methylation changes in children developing beta cell autoimmunity at a young age [open], Diabetologia (DOI: 10.1007/s00125-022-05657-x)
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