Researching The Causes of Infection-induced Autoimmune Type 1 Diabetes
Identifying a Genetic Phenotype for Low ß-cell Mass and Determining Why Infections Trigger Autoimmunity Against the Pancreas.
Introduction to Biologic Discovery's Research
The Etiology of Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 Diabetes is believed to be caused by some kind of genetic susceptibility and an environmental trigger for chronic autoimmunity against the pancreas, like a viral infection. The combination of both risk factors is associated with declining levels of ß-cell mass caused by increased amounts of ß-cell death. Yet, this loss of ß-cell mass corresponds to increasing rates of ß-cell proliferation.
This apparent contradiction is matched by another. During disease onset, patients will experience declining levels of circulating insulin, yet they will also experience increased insulin resistance. All of this corresponds with the immune system expressing autoantibodies against proteins expressed by ß-cells. One possibility that has not been investigated is that a pathologic autoantibody is expressed by the immune system which may be causing increased rates of ß-cell death.
Type 1 Diabetes: Etiology, Immunology, and Therapeutic Strategies.
A Disease Model for Infection-induced Autoimmune Type 1 Diabetes
Biologic Discovery proposes a disease model for Infection-induced Autoimmune Type 1 Diabetes involving two biomarkers of human beta cell regeneration. This disease model defines a genetic phenotype for insufficient stem ß-cell mass caused by low rates of glucose metabolism in the pancreas. We have experimentally shown the first biomarker to be chonrically deppressed in well-controlled T1D and regulates stem beta cell glucose metabolism in the pancreas.
This biomarker for stem beta cell glucose metabolism is paired with a second biomarker we propose prevents beta cell death. According to the principles of molecular mimicry, the autoantibody binding motif of this biomarker can be found throughout the genome of viruses and bacteria known to preceed Type 1 Diabetes onset.
Biologic Discovery hypothesizes that loss of this second biomarker would accelerate rates of ß-cell death as seen during Type 1 Diabetes disease onset.
Bioarkers of Human Beta Cell Regeneration
A Biomarker of Stem ß-cell Mass and Tissue Regeneration
A Biomarker of Stem ß-cell Mass and Tissue Regeneration
A Biomarker of Stem ß-cell Mass and Tissue Regeneration
The first biomarker of beta cell regeneration increases glucose metabolism and insulin expression of precursor stem ß-cell located in the pancreatic ducts.
Biologic Discovery has generated experimental data showing this biomarker is chronically depressed in well-controlled Type 1 Diabetes and positively corresponds with increased ß-cell function in long-term Type 1 Diabetes.
A Biomarker of ß-cell Death Prevention
A Biomarker of Stem ß-cell Mass and Tissue Regeneration
A Biomarker of Stem ß-cell Mass and Tissue Regeneration
Biologic Discovery further proposes that regulation of human ß-cell regeneration also includes a second naturally occurring biomarker which modulates cellular differentiation pathways associated with cell death.
According to the principles of "molecular mimicry," this biomarker provides a rational explanation for expression of pathologic a
Biologic Discovery further proposes that regulation of human ß-cell regeneration also includes a second naturally occurring biomarker which modulates cellular differentiation pathways associated with cell death.
According to the principles of "molecular mimicry," this biomarker provides a rational explanation for expression of pathologic autoantibodies targeting multiple proteins expressed by beta cells, including GAD65 and insulin.
A Biomarker of ß-cell Death
A Biomarker of Stem ß-cell Mass and Tissue Regeneration
A Biomarker of ß-cell Death
Loss of a protein that prevents ß-cell death may help explain chronic loss of beta cell mass seen in Type 1 Diabetes and significantly contirbute to disease progression.
Biologic Discovery has designed a new experiment to look for evidence of this pathologic autoantibody. Contact us for details.
What Biotechnologies Will These Discoveries Enable?
Infection-induced Autoimmune Diabetes Diagnostic Panel
A novel disease model for Infection-induced Autoimmune Diabetes now defines multiple unique biomarkers for disease progression. These biomarkers will enable the creation of new ELISA Kit diagnostic panels capable of identifying populations of people at risk of developing Infection-induced Gestational, Type 1, and Type 2 Diabetes.
Hormone Replacement Therapy
Hormone replacement of the naturally occurring biomarker for ß-cell Death Prevention may prove to be a therapeutic strategy capable of preventing loss of functional ß-cell mass during disease onset. Following restoration of euglycemia and recovery from an infection, hormone replacement of the biomarker for stem ß-cell glucose metabolism may prove to be a therapeutic strategy to restore ß-cell mass and increase insulin expression in people recovering from pancreatic failure.
The coordination and use of both naturally occurring biomarkers, or their engineered variants, define a novel treatment strategy for perservation and restoration of ß-cell mass in populations of people genetically predisposed insufficent ß-cell regeneration.
About the Inventor
Biomolecular Visualization Scientist, Casey Steffen
Casey Steffen M.Sci. is a biomolecular visualization scientist. He is the owner and operator of Biologic Models, a science communication design studio. Biologic Models works with biotechnology companies around to explain the nature of health and disease at the molecular level through molecular visualizations and 3D-printed protein models.
Mr. Steffen has been living with autoimmune Type 1 Diabetes for more than 20 years. When not helping other biotech companies, Mr. Steffen runs Biologic Discovery, a virtual biotech company. Through this entity, Mr. Steffen funds experiments testing his hypothesis for Infection-induced Autoimmune Type 1 Diabetes.
Ensuring Type 1 Diabetes Becomes a Preventable Disease
Vision for the Future
Biologic Discovery envisions a future where children no longer develop Autoimmune Type 1 Diabetes. Endocrinologists will one day be able to reassure anxious parents that they don't have to worry about their newly diagnosed T1D child. They caught the infection soon enough. New preventative treatments are now available which can suppress the bioavailability of pathologic autoantibodies causing loss of beta cell mass and Type 1 Diabetes disaease progression.
Biologic Discovery's mission is to one day verify the identity of this pathologic autoantibody. Once the mechanism for Autoimmunity in Type 1 Diabetes can be confirmed, Biologic Discovery will then leverage those insights to develop a new diagnostic panel and preventative treatment for Type 1 Diabetes.
Contact Us
Are you passionate about curing Type 1 Diabetes?Contact us to discuss how we can collaborate on a shared mission to make Type 1 Diabetes a preventable disease.