Studies from University of Colorado, Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes in the area of type 1 diabetes immunology described
2007 NOV 19 -- Researchers detail in 'The cation efflux transporter ZnT8 (Slc30A8) is a major autoantigen in human type 1 diabetes,' new data in type 1 diabetes. According to recent research published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, "Type 1 diabetes (T1D) results from progressive loss of pancreatic islet mass through autoimmunity targeted at a diverse, yet limited, series of molecules that are expressed in the pancreatic beta cell. Identification of these molecular targets provides insight into the pathogenic process, diagnostic assays, and potential therapeutic agents." "Autoantigen candidates were identified from microarray expression profiling of human and rodent pancreas and islet cells and screened with radioimmunoprecipitation assays using new-onset T1D and prediabetic sera. A high-ranking candidate, the zinc transporter ZnT8 (Slc30A8), was targeted by autoantibodies in 60-80% of new-onset T1D compared with <2% of controls and <3% type 2 diabetic and in up to 30% of patients with other autoimmune disorders with a T1D association. ZnT8 antibodies (ZnTA) were found in 26% of T1D subjects classified as autoantibody-negative on the basis of existing markers [glutamate decarboxylase (GADA), protein tyrosine phosphatase IA2 (IA2A), antibodies to insulin (IAA), and islet cytoplasmic autoantibodies (ICA)]. Individuals followed from birth to T1D showed ZnT8A as early as 2 years of age and increasing levels and prevalence persisting to disease onset. ZnT8A generally emerged later than GADA and IAA in prediabetes, although not in a strict order. The combined measurement of ZnT8A, GADA, IA2A, and IAA raised autoimmunity detection rates to 98% at disease onset, a level that approaches that needed to detect prediabetes in a general pediatric population," wrote J.M. Wenzlau and colleagues, University of Colorado, Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes. The researchers concluded: "The combination of bioinformatics and molecular engineering used here will potentially generate other diabetes autoimmunity markers and is also broadly applicable to other autoimmune disorders." Wenzlau and colleagues published their study in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (The cation efflux transporter ZnT8 (Slc30A8) is a major autoantigen in human type 1 diabetes. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2007;104(43):17040-5). For additional information, contact J.M. Wenzlau, University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center, Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes, 1775 North Ursula Street, Aurora, CO 80045 USA.. The publisher's contact information for the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America is: National Acad Sciences, 2101 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20418, USA. Keywords: United States, Aurora, Type 1 Diabetes Immunology, Autoimmune Disease, Autoimmune Disorder, Drug Development, Gastroenterology, Immunology, Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus, Pancreas, Pharmaceuticals, Therapy, Treatment, Type 1 Diabetes. This article was prepared by Biotech Business Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2007, Biotech Business Week via NewsRx.com.
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