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Diabetes vaccine shows promise in early trial

Posted: Mon May 31, 2021 7:34 am
by wjfox
Diabetes vaccine shows promise in early trial, helps to preserve body’s insulin in certain patients

May 30, 2021

A vaccine trial for type 1 diabetes helped sustain the body’s natural insulin production in a small, early research study, particularly in a group of recently diagnosed individuals.

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Type 1 diabetes is more likely in those who have particular forms of immune system genes known as human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes. According to the statement, several HLA types enhance the risk of the autoimmune illness, but one genetic variant known as “HLA-DR3-DQ2” exposes a version of the GAD protein (GAD65) on the surface of beta cells to the immune system. The immune system responds by producing antibodies against the protein and destroying the beta cells.

The HLA gene variation HLA-DR3-DQ2 was found to be responsible for presenting GAD65 proteins to the immune system and causing type 1 diabetes, according to the researchers. Nearly half of the patients in the latest research carried the HLA-DR3-DQ2 gene variation, according to Ludvigsson. Furthermore, while there was no significant change in insulin production between the treatment and placebo groups with the GAD-alum vaccination, the injections did yield beneficial outcomes in individuals with the HLA gene mutation. The injections also don’t seem to have any negative side effects.

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“Treatment with GAD-alum seems to be a promising, simple and safe way to preserve insulin production in around half of patients with type 1 diabetes, the ones who have the right type of HLA. This is why we are looking forward to carrying out larger studies, and we hope these will lead to a drug that can change the progress of type 1 diabetes,” the study author concludes.

https://medlifestyle.news/2021/05/30/di ... -patients/