How insulin-producing beta cells respond to stress and trigger the immune attack in type 1 diabetes
Transcriptional and Translational Mechanisms Governing Beta Cell Function
['FUNDING_R01'] · UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO · NIH-11325043
This project looks at whether blocking a stress pathway inside insulin-making beta cells can reduce the harmful signals that lead to type 1 diabetes in people at risk.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (CHICAGO, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11325043 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
As someone affected by or at risk for type 1 diabetes, I see researchers studying how beta cells react to inflammation and viral stress by turning on the 12-LOX/Gpr31 pathway and the integrated stress response (ISR). They block these pathways using genetic tools and drugs in cultured cells and in NOD mouse models to see if beta cells stop sending danger signals to the immune system. They measure molecular signs of stress, changes in protein production, and how immune cells respond, and they compare these findings to human tissue or blood samples when possible. The goal is to find targets that protect beta cells and reduce the autoimmune attack that destroys insulin-producing cells.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people with new-onset type 1 diabetes or those at high risk (for example, with diabetes-related autoantibodies) or individuals willing to donate blood or pancreatic tissue samples for research.
Not a fit: People with long-standing type 1 diabetes who no longer have functioning beta cells, and those with other forms of diabetes such as typical type 2 diabetes, are less likely to benefit directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new treatments that protect beta cells and prevent or delay the onset of type 1 diabetes.
How similar studies have performed: Blocking the 12-LOX/ISR pathway has reduced diabetes development in NOD mouse models, but the approach remains largely untested in humans.
Where this research is happening
CHICAGO, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO — CHICAGO, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: MIRMIRA, RAGHAVENDRA G — UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
- Study coordinator: MIRMIRA, RAGHAVENDRA G
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions: Autoimmune Diseases