Unexpected method of protection against diabetes development discovered

Scientists from the University of Wisconsin-Madison discovered that disabling just one gene in pancreatic cells can protect the body from developing type 1 diabetes. The results of the study were published in the journal Nature Communications.

As reported by BAKU.WS with reference to Nature Communications, the gene in question is Xbp1, which is involved in cellular stress response. During the experiment, researchers removed this gene exclusively in beta cells of the pancreas in mice - these are the cells that produce insulin and are the first to be attacked by the immune system in type 1 diabetes.

In genetically predisposed animals, the disease either did not develop at all, or temporary increases in blood sugar levels disappeared on their own over time. Analysis showed that in the absence of Xbp1, beta cells temporarily lose their "identification markers": they stop appearing as mature insulin-producing cells and become less visible to the immune system.

This led to reduced inflammation and protected the cells from destruction. Over time, beta cells restored their normal function, and blood glucose levels returned to normal values.

The authors emphasize that these findings change the traditional understanding of type 1 diabetes. Beta cells turn out to be not passive victims of immune attack, but active participants in the process. In perspective, this opens the way to preventive strategies - for example, temporary blocking of the Xbp1 gene in people at high risk of developing diabetes before the first symptoms appear.