At least 6 young Australians are diagnosed each day with type 1 diabetes. This Program aims to change the way type 1 diabetes is managed by proactively treating its underlying mechanisms. We will develop safer and more effective immune therapies, develop islet transplantation, look for better markers of disease, and identify ways to preserve insulin-producing cells. The Program aims to propel type 1 diabetes research forward to reach the goals of prevention and cure.
The Role Of Interleukin-21 In The Pathogenesis Of Autoimmune Diabetes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$519,000.00
Summary
T cells are a component of our blood (white blood cells) and a major component of the body's defense system against infection, known as immunity. Without T cells, we would fail to resist infection by foreign agents, such as viruses, bacteria and fungi. Autoimmune (type 1) diabetes is a disease in which T cells attack our own pancreatic islet self tissues as if they were foreign. T cells that react against the islets of the pancreas cause destruction of the insulin producing beta cells so that th ....T cells are a component of our blood (white blood cells) and a major component of the body's defense system against infection, known as immunity. Without T cells, we would fail to resist infection by foreign agents, such as viruses, bacteria and fungi. Autoimmune (type 1) diabetes is a disease in which T cells attack our own pancreatic islet self tissues as if they were foreign. T cells that react against the islets of the pancreas cause destruction of the insulin producing beta cells so that the pancreas can no longer make insulin. Diabetes is a life-threatening disease because insulin is a hormone that enables people to get energy from food. Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in childhood and insulin must be administered daily by injection or through a pump in order to survive. Unfortunately, taking insulin doesn t cure diabetes and people continue to suffer from an extensive list of complications affecting most vital organs. Interleukin-21 (IL-21) is a soluble protein that is produced by cells enabling them to communicate with other cells. IL-21 helps cells to produce factors that cause inflammation and assist in clearance of viruses and bacteria from the body. However, our studies show that IL-21 is a major factor in the development of the T cells that destroy beta cells and cause diabetes. Our studies show that IL-21 is over-expressed in an important murine model of spontaneous type-1 diabetes. We have isolated the T cells that cause diabetes and show that they are distinguished from other T cells by very high levels of the receptor for IL-21. This project focuses on the IL-21-responsive T cells that cause diabetes and aims to determine the mechanisms by which the cytokine IL-21 causes destructive immune responses and ways to modulate its production. This project applies basic science to the important public health issue of type 1 diabetes for the development of therapeutic intervention strategies.Read moreRead less
Molecular And Cellular Studies Of The Adaptive Immune Response In Health And Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$16,509,154.00
Summary
Immune responses protect us against pathogens such as viruses and bacteria. However inappropriate immune responses can result in autoimmune conditions such as systemic lupus erythmatosus, multiple sclerosis, type I diabetes, asthma as well as immunodeficiencies. The aim of our proposal is to gain a thorough understanding of how all the cells of the immune system function and interact with each other, and what goes wrong when inflammatory diseases develop. We plan to do this using state-of-of-the ....Immune responses protect us against pathogens such as viruses and bacteria. However inappropriate immune responses can result in autoimmune conditions such as systemic lupus erythmatosus, multiple sclerosis, type I diabetes, asthma as well as immunodeficiencies. The aim of our proposal is to gain a thorough understanding of how all the cells of the immune system function and interact with each other, and what goes wrong when inflammatory diseases develop. We plan to do this using state-of-of-the-art technologies, including genetically modified mice, gene microarrays, monoclonal antibodies, and flow cytometry. We have brought together Australia's leading immunologists with complimentary expertise and research interests in specific areas of immunology including cytokines, cell migration, inflammatory diseases, autoimmunity and cell-cell interactions. One aspect of the application is to understand the genetic and molecular basis of immunological diseases. However we also wish to move on from an understanding to treatment of immunological diseases through the development of novel therapeutics. We will form collaborations with biotech and pharmaceutical companies (including our own spin off companies) to advance important new therapeutics for autoimmune and allergic diseases. These conditions represent a significant health burden to Australia.Read moreRead less
The Role Of MHC Class I Expression On Pancreatic Ductal Lineage Cells In The Pathogenesis Of Type I Diabetes (TID).
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$484,300.00
Summary
MHC molecules act as traffic lights to the immune system telling it whether to stop or go, so that only when there is an infection does the immune system receive the signal to destroy target cells. However, the immune system in Type 1 Diabetes patients receives signals to destroy the insulin-producing cells when there is no apparent infection. We aim to determine where the faulty traffic signal occurs and so be in a better position to design intervention strategies to prevent Type 1 Diabetes.