Type 1 diabetes prevention is a "downhill" challenge.
Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease which is driven by a subset of white blood cells known as Th1-lymphocytes. Through a complex series of steps, some known and other poorly understood, the insulin producing pancreatic β-cells are slowly destroyed. This results in a life-long dependency on injected (or infused) insulin, daily self-care responsibilities, and significant risks for short and long term health concerns and complications.
The way type 1 diabetes develops is complex and nuanced. It involves the activation of both major arms of the immune system, known as the humoral and cellular, and an imbalance between certain classes of white blood cells called effector and regulatory T cells (members of the cellular system). A group of white blood cells known as “autoreactive CD4+ and CD8+ Th1 lymphocytes” are directly involved in the production of chemical agents (chemokines and cytokines) which attract a special group of immunity cells (called macrophages) to the islets. A process called insulitis then occurs (immune cells infiltrate and inflame the islets, where the insulin producing beta cells are located). Over time, near complete β-cell destruction occurs.