A T-cell gene signature in infants could predict Type I diabetes

German researchers published a gene signature found in T cells from six month old infants that preceded the development of β cell autoantibodies in those at high risk for Type I diabetes. The paper was published online Wednesday in Science Translational Medicine.

The researchers collected blood cells from 28 children classified as high risk because they had at least one first-degree relative with Type I diabetes. One to five samples were collected for each infant in the first year of life, and all children were followed for autoantibody and disease onset. During the study, 16 children developed β cell autoantibodies against glutamate decarboxylase 2 (GAD2; GAD65) and/or insulin, of which 12 developed diabetes. ...