Diabetes Awareness Article
            By Lions Kathy Fuglee and Patti Sadowski

Update on Diabetes Research: Pathways to a Cure & Improving Care

Advancements in diabetes research continue to help identify what causes diabetes and its complications, as well as, more effective treatments and methods for initiating behavior change. Such advancements bring us closer to the day when diabetes can be prevented. Current research activities include…

Using the Virtual Realm to Prevent and Treat Type 1 Diabetes
The American Diabetes Association and Entelos, Inc. have developed two research tools to help scientists understand the onset of type 1 diabetes – how it advances as well as responds to different treatments. The Type 1 Diabetes PhysioLab® is a computer simulated model that utilizes and extrapolates data from birth until type 1 diabetes develops in virtual non-obese mice. Thousands of research studies are conducted with data which is then translated and applied to humans using the Type 1 Diabetes PhysioLab® simulation process. Another tool called Realab was added to provide researchers with the opportunity to conduct simulated experiments to study different treatments, dosing regimens, drug targets and biological functions. Results are available within 24 hours.

Identifying the T-Cell Problem
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder in which the body’s immune system (primarily T-cells) attack its own insulin producing cells. The human body is stocked with a variety of T-cells which take specific actions against different infections. Some T-cells mistake cells in the pancreas for harmful invaders. Researchers at the Benaroya Research Institute in Seattle are conducting studies to identify and study the behavior of problematic T-cells. The goal is to identify a test that will predict which T-cells are starting to malfunction long before diabetes develops and then treat appropriately.

Immunotherapy for Type 1 Diabetes
Re-educating the immune system to treat type 1 diabetes is an exploding field of research that could lead to significant breakthroughs. Several avenues are being pursued to help re-educate the body to tolerate instead of destroy its insulin producing cells.  Studies include hematopoietic stem cell transplantation from bone marrow or pre-treated blood, infusion of immune cells and T-cell regulation using drug therapy. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation increases beta cell (insulin) function and generates new T cells that are self tolerant while eliminating destructive T-cells. Infusing cells with a cocktail therapy of regulatory T-cells and mild immunosuppressive or other cell therapy have shown promise in helping sustain the body’s own insulin production for longer periods of time after diagnosis. Several drug studies are taking place to create antibodies that block the interleukin-2 receptor to prevent the destructive T-cells from being activated.

New Genes Identified Predicting Type 2 Diabetes
A recent study identified six additional genes that predispose people for developing type 2 diabetes. The finding extends the total number of genes linked to type 2 diabetes to 16. Researchers in over 40 centers analyzed the genetic data of more than 70,000 people. They believe the six genes are involved in regulating the number of insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Individuals who inherit such genes are at two to three times at higher risk for developing diabetes than the average person. The six genes include CDC123-CAMK1D, JAZF1, TSPAN8-LGR5, THADA, ADAMTS9 and NOTCH2. Identification of the new genes help researchers identify the biological mechanisms that impact insulin production and glucose levels. Such knowledge can be used to identify new approaches for treating and preventing type 2 diabetes.

Non-invasive Imaging Technology & Insulin Resistance
Researchers at Yale University are using a biochemical imaging technique, magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), to identify the role of insulin resistance in muscle tissue as a contributing factor in the development of heart disease among those with type 2 diabetes. Scans of the calf muscles and liver were compared between insulin-resistant individuals to young, lean, insulin sensitive individuals. Differences between the two groups occurred in how carbohydrates from food were stored. Insulin sensitive individuals stored the energy from carbohydrates as glucose in the liver and muscle.  Individuals with insulin-resistance stored energy from carbohydrates as liver fat resulting in high levels of triglycerides and HDL (bad) cholesterol.

Such research activities are steps towards gaining a better understanding of the complexities that impact diabetes and its complications. For more information about research visit the American Diabetes Association’s website http://www.diabetes.org. Search the research database to find areas of interest as well as where and who is conducting research. The American Diabetes Association has invested over $400 million, funding over 4,000 research projects. Contributing to such research, LIONS Clubs International has awarded nearly $5 million to the Association to support research in diabetic retinopathy. Together, such efforts will someday produce a world without diabetes.