title: New Insights and Biomarkers for Type 1 Diabetes: Review for Scandinavian Journal of Immunology.
abstract: The increasing incidence of type 1 diabetes observed in the past 60 years has spawned massive efforts in multiple research fields to elucidate the aetiology of this disease. While GWAS studies provide a good genetic basis for the current knowledge, it is clear that environmental triggers and their influence in disease prevalence and origin are highly important. The realization of disease heterogeneity has created a requirement for better biomarkers to complement the known autoantibody markers and to more successfully predict the severity and onset time of the disease. Such biomarkers would be needed both for prevention as well as for monitoring disease activity and response to preventive and therapeutic measures. Systematic holistic approaches concentrating on the triggering molecular mechanisms, pancreatic beta cells, immune response, as well as the influence of diet and environment, are necessary to understand the disease pathogenesis and find a cure. The current genomic knowledge is being broadened with accompanying studies in epigenetics and transcriptomic regulation, metabolomics, proteomics and lipidomics, covering the whole system from beta cells, the profile and cellular balance of the infiltrating lymphocytes, to gut microbiota and viral infections. Here we highlight interesting recent findings in type 1 diabetes research.
authors.affiliation: Turku Centre for Biotechnology, University of Turku, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Heinonen
authors.affiliation: Turku Centre for Biotechnology, University of Turku, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moulder
authors.affiliation: Turku Centre for Biotechnology, University of Turku, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lahesmaa
mesh_terms: D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D015415:Biomarkers; D003384:Coxsackievirus Infections / Q000821:virology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects; D004770:Enterovirus / Q000235:genetics; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; D012367:RNA, Viral