New Research Identifies How T Cells Trigger Type 1 Diabetes—and Ways to Stop Them

Thomas Delong, Ph.D., was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 12. Two decades later, he moved from Germany to Colorado to pursue a singular goal: understanding how the disease starts and finding ways to stop it. Working with T-cell pioneer Kathryn Haskins, Ph.D., at the University of Colorado Anschutz, Delong dedicated himself to uncovering the mechanisms behind type 1 diabetes.

Haskins had made a landmark discovery in the 1980s, identifying T cells that trigger diabetes in mice. Building on that foundation, Delong spent years investigating what causes these T cells to malfunction and attack the pancreas's insulin-producing beta cells. In 2016, his persistence paid off: he identified a likely culprit responsible for launching the autoimmune attack.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease, meaning the body's immune system mistakenly attacks its own cells. In this case, the target is the beta cells in the pancreas that produce insulin—the hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. When these cells are destroyed, the body loses its ability to control glucose, which can lead to serious health complications without proper treatment.

Type 1 diabetes often develops in childhood and affects approximately 9.5 million people worldwide. Understanding what triggers the immune system to turn against beta cells has been a major focus of research for decades.

Delong's team's most recent work builds on the 2016 breakthrough by exploring ways to interfere with the culprit he identified. Early results show promise in blocking or slowing the autoimmune attack that destroys beta cells.

The research, published in the journal Diabetes, represents a step forward in developing therapies that could delay or prevent type 1 diabetes. While this work is still in the research phase, it offers a potential pathway for future treatments targeting the root cause of the disease rather than just managing its symptoms.

Origin: medicalxpress.com (News report). Evidence: News report — unverified, pending corroboration. Type1Cure is an information and intelligence hub, not a medical advice service. This article summarizes published research and does not provide diagnosis, treatment, or personal medical guidance. Always talk to your own care team before changing anything about your Type 1 diabetes management.