T-cell responses to hybrid insulin peptides prior to type 1 diabetes development.

T-cell responses to posttranslationally modified self-antigens are associated with many autoimmune disorders. In type 1 diabetes, hybrid insulin peptides (HIPs) are implicated in the T-cell-mediated destruction of insulin-producing ß-cells within pancreatic islets. The natural history of the disease is such that it allows for the study of T-cell reactivity prior to the onset of clinical symptoms. We hypothesized that CD4 T-cell responses to posttranslationally modified islet peptides precedes diabetes onset. In a cohort of genetically at-risk individuals, we measured longitudinal T-cell responses to native insulin and hybrid insulin peptides. Both proinflammatory (interferon-γ) and antiinflammatory (interluekin-10) cytokine responses to HIPs were more robust than those to native peptides, and the ratio of such responses oscillated between pro- and antiinflammatory over time. However, individuals who developed islet autoantibodies or progressed to clinical type 1 diabetes had predominantly inflammatory T-cell responses to HIPs. Additionally, several HIP T-cell responses correlated to worsening measurements of blood glucose, highlighting the relevance of T-cell responses to posttranslationally modified peptides prior to autoimmune disease development.

Golimumab and Beta-Cell Function in Youth with New-Onset Type 1 Diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease characterized by progressive loss of pancreatic beta cells. Golimumab is a human monoclonal antibody specific for tumor necrosis factor α that has already been approved for the treatment of several autoimmune conditions in adults and children. Whether golimumab could preserve beta-cell function in youth with newly diagnosed overt (stage 3) type 1 diabetes is unknown. METHODS: In this phase 2, multicenter, placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel-group trial, we randomly assigned, in a 2:1 ratio, children and young adults (age range, 6 to 21 years) with newly diagnosed overt type 1 diabetes to receive subcutaneous golimumab or placebo for 52 weeks. The primary end point was endogenous insulin production, as assessed according to the area under the concentration-time curve for C-peptide level in response to a 4-hour mixed-meal tolerance test (4-hour C-peptide AUC) at week 52. Secondary and additional end points included insulin use, the glycated hemoglobin level, the number of hypoglycemic events, the ratio of fasting proinsulin to C-peptide over time, and response profile. RESULTS: A total of 84 participants underwent randomization - 56 were assigned to the golimumab group and 28 to the placebo group. The mean (±SD) 4-hour C-peptide AUC at week 52 differed significantly between the golimumab group and the placebo group (0.64±0.42 pmol per milliliter vs. 0.43±0.39 pmol per milliliter, P<0.001). A treat-to-target approach led to good glycemic control in both groups, and there was no significant difference between the groups in glycated hemoglobin level. Insulin use was lower with golimumab than with placebo. A partial-remission response (defined as an insulin dose-adjusted glycated hemoglobin level score [calculated as the glycated hemoglobin level plus 4 times the insulin dose] of ≤9) was observed in 43% of participants in the golimumab group and in 7% of those in the placebo group (difference, 36 percentage points; 95% CI, 22 to 55). The mean number of hypoglycemic events did not differ between the trial groups. Hypoglycemic events that were recorded as adverse events at the discretion of investigators were reported in 13 participants (23%) in the golimumab group and in 2 (7%) of those in the placebo group. Antibodies to golimumab were detected in 30 participants who received the drug; 29 had antibody titers lower than 1:1000, of whom 12 had positive results for neutralizing antibodies. CONCLUSIONS: Among children and young adults with newly diagnosed overt type 1 diabetes, golimumab resulted in better endogenous insulin production and less exogenous insulin use than placebo. (Funded by Janssen Research and Development; T1GER ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02846545.).

Characterising the age-dependent effects of risk factors on type 1 diabetes progression.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Age is known to be one of the most important stratifiers of disease progression in type 1 diabetes. However, what drives the difference in rate of progression between adults and children is poorly understood. Evidence suggests that many type 1 diabetes disease predictors do not have the same effect across the age spectrum. Without a comprehensive analysis describing the varying risk profiles of predictors over the age continuum, researchers and clinicians are susceptible to inappropriate assessment of risk when examining populations of differing ages. We aimed to systematically assess and characterise how the effect of key type 1 diabetes risk predictors changes with age. METHODS: Using longitudinal data from single- and multiple-autoantibody-positive at-risk individuals recruited between the ages of 1 and 45 years in TrialNet's Pathway to Prevention Study, we assessed and visually characterised the age-varying effect of key demographic, immune and metabolic predictors of type 1 diabetes by employing a flexible spline model. Two progression outcomes were defined: participants with single autoantibodies (n=4893) were analysed for progression to multiple autoantibodies or type 1 diabetes, and participants with multiple autoantibodies were analysed (n=3856) for progression to type 1 diabetes. RESULTS: Several predictors exhibited significant age-varying effects on disease progression. Amongst single-autoantibody participants, HLA-DR3 (p=0.007), GAD65 autoantibody positivity (p=0.008), elevated BMI (p=0.007) and HOMA-IR (p=0.002) showed a significant increase in effect on disease progression with increasing age. Insulin autoantibody positivity had a diminishing effect with older age in single-autoantibody-positive participants (p<0.001). Amongst multiple-autoantibody-positive participants, male sex (p=0.002) was associated with an increase in risk for progression, and HLA DR3/4 (p=0.05) showed a decreased effect on disease progression with older age. In both single- and multiple-autoantibody-positive individuals, significant changes in HR with age were seen for multiple measures of islet function. Risk estimation using prediction risk score Index60 was found to be better at a younger age for both single- and multiple-autoantibody-positive individuals (p=0.007 and p<0.001, respectively). No age-varying effect was seen for prediction risk score DPTRS (p=0.861 and p=0.178, respectively). Multivariable analyses suggested that incorporating the age-varying effect of the individual components of these validated risk scores has the potential to enhance the risk estimate. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Analysing the age-varying effect of disease predictors improves understanding and prediction of type 1 diabetes disease progression, and should be leveraged to refine prediction models and guide mechanistic studies.

Mass Screening for Celiac Disease: The Autoimmunity Screening for Kids Study.

INTRODUCTION: The Autoimmunity Screening for Kids (ASK) study is a large scale pediatric screening study in Colorado for celiac disease (CD) and type 1 diabetes. This is a report of the CD outcomes for the first 9,973 children screened through ASK. METHODS: ASK screens children aged 1-17 years for CD using 2 highly sensitive assays for tissue transglutaminase autoantibodies (TGA): a radiobinding (RBA) assay for IgA TGA and an electrochemiluminescence (ECL) assay that detects all TGA isotypes. Children who test positive on either assay are asked to return for confirmatory testing. Those with a confirmed RBA TGA level ≥ 0.1 (twice the upper limit of normal) are referred to the Colorado Center for Celiac Disease for further evaluation; all others are referred to primary care. RESULTS: Of the initial 9,973 children screened, 242 children were TGA+ by any assay. Of those initially positive, 185 children (76.4%) have completed a confirmation blood draw with 149 children (80.5%) confirming positive by RBA TGA. Confirmed RBA TGA+ was associated with a family history of CD (odds ratio [OR] = 1.83; 95% confidence interval 1.06-3.16), non-Hispanic white ethnicity (OR = 3.34; 2.32-4.79), and female sex (OR = 1.43; 1.03-1.98). Gastrointestinal symptoms of CD, assessed at the initial screening, were reported equally often among the RBA TGA+ vs TGA- children (32.1% vs 30.5%, P = 0.65). DISCUSSION: The initial results of this ongoing mass-screening program confirm a high prevalence of undiagnosed CD autoimmunity in a screened US population. Symptoms at initial screening were not associated with TGA status (see Visual abstract, Supplementary Digital Content 5, http://links.lww.com/AJG/B587).

The clinical consequences of heterogeneity within and between different diabetes types.

Advances in molecular methods and the ability to share large population-based datasets are uncovering heterogeneity within diabetes types, and some commonalities between types. Within type 1 diabetes, endotypes have been discovered based on demographic (e.g. age at diagnosis, race/ethnicity), genetic, immunological, histopathological, metabolic and/or clinical course characteristics, with implications for disease prediction, prevention, diagnosis and treatment. In type 2 diabetes, the relative contributions of insulin resistance and beta cell dysfunction are heterogeneous and relate to demographics, genetics and clinical characteristics, with substantial interaction from environmental exposures. Investigators have proposed approaches that vary from simple to complex in combining these data to identify type 2 diabetes clusters relevant to prognosis and treatment. Advances in pharmacogenetics and pharmacodynamics are also improving treatment. Monogenic diabetes is a prime example of how understanding heterogeneity within diabetes types can lead to precision medicine, since phenotype and treatment are affected by which gene is mutated. Heterogeneity also blurs the classic distinctions between diabetes types, and has led to the definition of additional categories, such as latent autoimmune diabetes in adults, type 1.5 diabetes and ketosis-prone diabetes. Furthermore, monogenic diabetes shares many features with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, which make diagnosis difficult. These challenges to the current classification framework in adult and paediatric diabetes require new approaches. The 'palette model' and the 'threshold hypothesis' can be combined to help explain the heterogeneity within and between diabetes types. Leveraging such approaches for therapeutic benefit will be an important next step for precision medicine in diabetes. Graphical abstract.

DNA methylation near the INS gene is associated with INS genetic variation (rs689) and type 1 diabetes in the Diabetes Autoimmunity Study in the Young.

OBJECTIVE: Mechanisms underlying the role of non-human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genetic risk variants in type 1 diabetes (T1D) are poorly understood. We aimed to test the association between methylation and non-HLA genetic risk. METHODS: We conducted a methylation quantitative trait loci (mQTL) analysis in a nested case-control study from the Dietary Autoimmunity Study in the Young. Controls (n = 83) were frequency-matched to T1D cases (n = 83) based on age, race/ethnicity, and sample availability. We evaluated 13 non-HLA genetic markers known be associated with T1D. Genome-wide methylation profiling was performed on peripheral blood samples collected prior to T1D using the Illumina 450 K (discovery set) and infinium methylation EPIC beadchip (EPIC validation) platforms. Linear regression models, adjusting for age and sex, were used to test to each single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) -probe combination. Logistic regression models were used to test the association between T1D and methylation levels among probes with a significant mQTL. A meta-analysis was used to combine odds ratios from the two platforms. RESULTS: We identified 10 SNP-methylation probe pairs (false discovery rate (FDR) adjusted P < .05 and validation P < .05). Probes were associated with the GSDMB, C1QTNF6, IL27, and INS genes. The cg03366382 (OR: 1.9, meta-P = .0495), cg21574853 (OR: 2.5, meta-P = .0232), and cg25336198 (odds ratio: 6.6, meta-P = .0081) probes were significantly associated with T1D. The three probes were located upstream from the INS transcription start site. CONCLUSIONS: We confirmed an association between DNA methylation and rs689 that has been identified in related studies. Measurements in our study preceded the onset of T1D suggesting methylation may have a role in the relationship between INS variation and T1D development.

Identification and Analysis of Islet Antigen-Specific CD8+ T Cells with T Cell Libraries.

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is most likely caused by killing of ß cells by autoreactive CD8+ T cells. Methods to isolate and identify these cells are limited by their low frequency in the peripheral blood. We analyzed CD8+ T cells, reactive with diabetes Ags, with T cell libraries and further characterized their phenotype by CyTOF using class I MHC tetramers. In the libraries, the frequency of islet Ag-specific CD45RO+IFN-γ+CD8+ T cells was higher in patients with T1D compared with healthy control subjects. Ag-specific cells from the libraries of patients with T1D were reactive with ZnT8186-194, whereas those from healthy control recognized ZnT8186-194 and other Ags. ZnT8186-194-reactive CD8+ cells expressed an activation phenotype in T1D patients. We found TCR sequences that were used in multiple library wells from patients with T1D, but these sequences were private and not shared between individuals. These sequences could identify the Ag-specific T cells on a repeated draw, ex vivo in the IFN-γ+ CD8+ T cell subset. We conclude that CD8+ T cell libraries can identify Ag-specific T cells in patients with T1D. The T cell clonotypes can be tracked in vivo with identification of the TCR gene sequences.

Progression from islet autoimmunity to clinical type 1 diabetes is influenced by genetic factors: results from the prospective TEDDY study.

BACKGROUND: Progression time from islet autoimmunity to clinical type 1 diabetes is highly variable and the extent that genetic factors contribute is unknown. METHODS: In 341 islet autoantibody-positive children with the human leucocyte antigen (HLA) DR3/DR4-DQ8 or the HLA DR4-DQ8/DR4-DQ8 genotype from the prospective TEDDY (The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young) study, we investigated whether a genetic risk score that had previously been shown to predict islet autoimmunity is also associated with disease progression. RESULTS: Islet autoantibody-positive children with a genetic risk score in the lowest quartile had a slower progression from single to multiple autoantibodies (p=0.018), from single autoantibodies to diabetes (p=0.004), and by trend from multiple islet autoantibodies to diabetes (p=0.06). In a Cox proportional hazards analysis, faster progression was associated with an increased genetic risk score independently of HLA genotype (HR for progression from multiple autoantibodies to type 1 diabetes, 1.27, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.58 per unit increase), an earlier age of islet autoantibody development (HR, 0.68, 95% CI 0.58 to 0.81 per year increase in age) and female sex (HR, 1.94, 95% CI 1.28 to 2.93). CONCLUSIONS: Genetic risk scores may be used to identify islet autoantibody-positive children with high-risk HLA genotypes who have a slow rate of progression to subsequent stages of autoimmunity and type 1 diabetes.

Predicting progression to type 1 diabetes from ages 3 to 6 in islet autoantibody positive TEDDY children.

OBJECTIVE: The capacity to precisely predict progression to type 1 diabetes (T1D) in young children over a short time span is an unmet need. We sought to develop a risk algorithm to predict progression in children with high-risk human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes followed in The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) study. METHODS: Logistic regression and 4-fold cross-validation examined 38 candidate predictors of risk from clinical, immunologic, metabolic, and genetic data. TEDDY subjects with at least one persistent, confirmed autoantibody at age 3 were analyzed with progression to T1D by age 6 serving as the primary endpoint. The logistic regression prediction model was compared to two non-statistical predictors, multiple autoantibody status, and presence of insulinoma-associated-2 autoantibodies (IA-2A). RESULTS: A total of 363 subjects had at least one autoantibody at age 3. Twenty-one percent of subjects developed T1D by age 6. Logistic regression modeling identified 5 significant predictors - IA-2A status, hemoglobin A1c, body mass index Z-score, single-nucleotide polymorphism rs12708716_G, and a combination marker of autoantibody number plus fasting insulin level. The logistic model yielded a receiver operating characteristic area under the curve (AUC) of 0.80, higher than the two other predictors; however, the differences in AUC, sensitivity, and specificity were small across models. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the application of precision medicine techniques to predict progression to diabetes over a 3-year window in TEDDY subjects. This multifaceted model provides preliminary improvement in prediction over simpler prediction tools. Additional tools are needed to maximize the predictive value of these approaches.

Unmethylated Insulin as an Adjunctive Marker of Beta Cell Death and Progression to Type 1 Diabetes in Participants at Risk for Diabetes.

Islet autoantibody (iAb)-positive individuals have a high risk of progression to type 1 diabetes (T1D), although the rate of progression is highly variable and factors involved in the rate of progression are largely unknown. The ratio of unmethylated/methylated insulin DNA levels (unmethylated INS ratio) has been shown to be higher in participants at high risk of T1D compared to healthy controls. We aimed to evaluate whether an unmethylated INS ratio may be a useful biomarker of beta cell death and rate of progression to T1D. In TrialNet participants who were followed in the Pathway to Prevention Study and progressed to diabetes (n = 57, median age of onset 15.3 years), we measured unmethylated INS ratio and autoantibodies by electrochemiluminescence (ECL) assays (ECL-IAA, ECL-GADA, and ECL-IA2) and radioimmunoassays (RIA) (mIAA, GADA, IA2A, and ZnT8A) longitudinally for 24 months prior to diagnosis. Linear models were used to test the association between unmethylated INS ratio and the age at T1D diagnosis and unmethylated INS ratio and iAb over time. Close to diabetes onset, the unmethylated INS ratio was associated with mIAA (p = 0.003), ECL-IAA (p = 0.002), and IA2A (p = 0.01) levels, but not with GADA, ECL-GADA, ECL-IA2, or ZnT8A levels. No significant associations were found at baseline (24 months prior to T1D diagnosis). Only mIAA levels were significantly associated with an unmethylated INS ratio over time, with a 0.24 change in the ratio for each 0.1 change in mIAA z-score (p = 0.02). Adjusting for a baseline unmethylated INS ratio, an increased rate of change in unmethylated INS ratio from baseline to diabetes onset was associated with a five-year decrease in age at T1D diagnosis (p = 0.04).

Characteristics of slow progression to diabetes in multiple islet autoantibody-positive individuals from five longitudinal cohorts: the SNAIL study.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Multiple islet autoimmunity increases risk of diabetes, but not all individuals positive for two or more islet autoantibodies progress to disease within a decade. Major islet autoantibodies recognise insulin (IAA), GAD (GADA), islet antigen-2 (IA-2A) and zinc transporter 8 (ZnT8A). Here we describe the baseline characteristics of a unique cohort of 'slow progressors' (n = 132) who were positive for multiple islet autoantibodies (IAA, GADA, IA-2A or ZnT8A) but did not progress to diabetes within 10 years. METHODS: Individuals were identified from five studies (BABYDIAB, Germany; Diabetes Autoimmunity Study in the Young [DAISY], USA; All Babies in Southeast Sweden [ABIS], Sweden; Bart's Oxford Family Study [BOX], UK and the Pittsburgh Family Study, USA). Multiple islet autoantibody characteristics were determined using harmonised assays where possible. HLA class II risk was compared between slow progressors and rapid progressors (n = 348 diagnosed <5 years old from BOX) using the χ2 test. RESULTS: In the first available samples with detectable multiple antibodies, the most frequent autoantibodies were GADA (92%), followed by ZnT8A (62%), IAA (59%) and IA-2A (41%). High risk HLA class II genotypes were less frequent in slow (28%) than rapid progressors (42%, p = 0.011), but only two slow progressors carried the protective HLA DQ6 allele. CONCLUSION: No distinguishing characteristics of slow progressors at first detection of multiple antibodies have yet been identified. Continued investigation of these individuals may provide insights into slow progression that will inform future efforts to slow or prevent progression to clinical diabetes.

Genetic scores to stratify risk of developing multiple islet autoantibodies and type 1 diabetes: A prospective study in children.

BACKGROUND: Around 0.3% of newborns will develop autoimmunity to pancreatic beta cells in childhood and subsequently develop type 1 diabetes before adulthood. Primary prevention of type 1 diabetes will require early intervention in genetically at-risk infants. The objective of this study was to determine to what extent genetic scores (two previous genetic scores and a merged genetic score) can improve the prediction of type 1 diabetes. METHODS AND FINDINGS: The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) study followed genetically at-risk children at 3- to 6-monthly intervals from birth for the development of islet autoantibodies and type 1 diabetes. Infants were enrolled between 1 September 2004 and 28 February 2010 and monitored until 31 May 2016. The risk (positive predictive value) for developing multiple islet autoantibodies (pre-symptomatic type 1 diabetes) and type 1 diabetes was determined in 4,543 children who had no first-degree relatives with type 1 diabetes and either a heterozygous HLA DR3 and DR4-DQ8 risk genotype or a homozygous DR4-DQ8 genotype, and in 3,498 of these children in whom genetic scores were calculated from 41 single nucleotide polymorphisms. In the children with the HLA risk genotypes, risk for developing multiple islet autoantibodies was 5.8% (95% CI 5.0%-6.6%) by age 6 years, and risk for diabetes by age 10 years was 3.7% (95% CI 3.0%-4.4%). Risk for developing multiple islet autoantibodies was 11.0% (95% CI 8.7%-13.3%) in children with a merged genetic score of >14.4 (upper quartile; n = 907) compared to 4.1% (95% CI 3.3%-4.9%, P < 0.001) in children with a genetic score of ≤14.4 (n = 2,591). Risk for developing diabetes by age 10 years was 7.6% (95% CI 5.3%-9.9%) in children with a merged score of >14.4 compared with 2.7% (95% CI 1.9%-3.6%) in children with a score of ≤14.4 (P < 0.001). Of 173 children with multiple islet autoantibodies by age 6 years and 107 children with diabetes by age 10 years, 82 (sensitivity, 47.4%; 95% CI 40.1%-54.8%) and 52 (sensitivity, 48.6%, 95% CI 39.3%-60.0%), respectively, had a score >14.4. Scores were higher in European versus US children (P = 0.003). In children with a merged score of >14.4, risk for multiple islet autoantibodies was similar and consistently >10% in Europe and in the US; risk was greater in males than in females (P = 0.01). Limitations of the study include that the genetic scores were originally developed from case-control studies of clinical diabetes in individuals of mainly European decent. It is, therefore, possible that it may not be suitable to all populations. CONCLUSIONS: A type 1 diabetes genetic score identified infants without family history of type 1 diabetes who had a greater than 10% risk for pre-symptomatic type 1 diabetes, and a nearly 2-fold higher risk than children identified by high-risk HLA genotypes alone. This finding extends the possibilities for enrolling children into type 1 diabetes primary prevention trials.

Predicting progression to diabetes in islet autoantibody positive children.

While full oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) helps improve prediction, it requires intravenous access with 6 sample collections for glucose and C-peptide. The objective of this study was to explore less costly and less time-consuming options. All children being prospectively followed by the Diabetes Autoimmunity Study in the Young (DAISY) who had a complete baseline OGTT and at least one confirmed islet autoantibody (Ab+) were included in this study (n = 68). Of 68 Ab+ subjects with a baseline OGTT, 25 developed diabetes after a mean follow-up 5.7 yrs, at a mean age of 12.4 yrs. Univariate proportional hazards (PH) models suggested that age at seroconversion, number of Ab+, IA-2A levels, HbA1c and metabolic variables from the OGTT predicted progression to diabetes, while HLA DR3/4, BMI, levels of IAA or GADA did not. Five multivariate PH predictive models were similar (p = 0.32). All five models included age at seroconversion, number of Ab+, IA-2A levels and HbA1c, and in addition included: model 1 - 1 h glucose and 1 h C-peptide; model 2 - 2 h glucose and 2 h C-peptide; model 3 - glucose sum and C-peptide sum; model 4 - glucose AUC and C-peptide AUC; and model 5: index 60. A model containing age at seroconversion, number of Ab+, IA-2A levels, HbA1c, 1 h glucose and 1 h C-peptide was as predictive for type 1 diabetes progression as models including all sum or AUC values for glucose and C-peptide from full OGTT. The performance of this model should be confirmed in an independent population of Ab+ children.

Identification of non-HLA genes associated with development of islet autoimmunity and type 1 diabetes in the prospective TEDDY cohort.

Traditional linkage analysis and genome-wide association studies have identified HLA and a number of non-HLA genes as genetic factors for islet autoimmunity (IA) and type 1 diabetes (T1D). However, the relative risk associated with previously identified non-HLA genes is usually very small as measured in cases/controls from mixed populations. Genetic associations for IA and T1D may be more accurately assessed in prospective cohorts. In this study, 5806 subjects from the TEDDY (The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young) study, an international prospective cohort study, were genotyped for 176,586 SNPs on the ImmunoChip. Cox proportional hazards analyses were performed to discover the SNPs associated with the risk for IA, T1D, or both. Three regions were associated with the risk of developing any persistent confirmed islet autoantibody: one known region near SH2B3 (HR = 1.35, p = 3.58 × 10-7) with Bonferroni-corrected significance and another known region near PTPN22 (HR = 1.46, p = 2.17 × 10-6) and one novel region near PPIL2 (HR = 2.47, p = 9.64 × 10-7) with suggestive evidence (p < 10-5). Two known regions (PTPN22: p = 2.25 × 10-6, INS; p = 1.32 × 10-7) and one novel region (PXK/PDHB: p = 8.99 × 10-6) were associated with the risk for multiple islet autoantibodies. First appearing islet autoantibodies differ with respect to association. Two regions (INS: p = 5.67 × 10-6 and TTC34/PRDM16: 6.45 × 10-6) were associated if the fist appearing autoantibody was IAA and one region (RBFOX1: p = 8.02 × 10-6) was associated if the first appearing autoantibody was GADA. The analysis of T1D identified one region already known to be associated with T1D (INS: p = 3.13 × 10-7) and three novel regions (RNASET2, PLEKHA1, and PPIL2; 5.42 × 10-6 > p > 2.31 × 10-6). These results suggest that a number of low frequency variants influence the risk of developing IA and/or T1D and these variants can be identified by large prospective cohort studies using a survival analysis approach.

Genetics of type 1 diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) results from immune-mediated loss of pancreatic beta cells leading to insulin deficiency. It is the most common form of diabetes in children, and its incidence is on the rise. This article reviews the current knowledge on the genetics of T1D. In particular, we discuss the influence of HLA and non-HLA genes on T1D risk and disease progression through the preclinical stages of the disease, and the development of genetic scores that can be applied to disease prediction. Racial/ethnic differences, challenges and future directions in the genetics of T1D are also discussed.

Prediction of type 1 diabetes using a genetic risk model in the Diabetes Autoimmunity Study in the Young.

BACKGROUND: Genetic predisposition for type 1 diabetes (T1D) is largely determined by human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes; however, over 50 other genetic regions confer susceptibility. We evaluated a previously reported 10-factor weighted model derived from the Type 1 Diabetes Genetics Consortium to predict the development of diabetes in the Diabetes Autoimmunity Study in the Young (DAISY) prospective cohort. Performance of the model, derived from individuals with first-degree relatives (FDR) with T1D, was evaluated in DAISY general population (GP) participants as well as FDR subjects. METHODS: The 10-factor weighted risk model (HLA, PTPN22 , INS , IL2RA , ERBB3 , ORMDL3 , BACH2 , IL27 , GLIS3 , RNLS ), 3-factor model (HLA, PTPN22, INS ), and HLA alone were compared for the prediction of diabetes in children with complete SNP data (n = 1941). RESULTS: Stratification by risk score significantly predicted progression to diabetes by Kaplan-Meier analysis (GP: P = .00006; FDR: P = .0022). The 10-factor model performed better in discriminating diabetes outcome than HLA alone (GP, P = .03; FDR, P = .01). In GP, the restricted 3-factor model was superior to HLA (P = .03), but not different from the 10-factor model (P = .22). In contrast, for FDR the 3-factor model did not show improvement over HLA (P = .12) and performed worse than the 10-factor model (P = .02) CONCLUSIONS: We have shown a 10-factor risk model predicts development of diabetes in both GP and FDR children. While this model was superior to a minimal model in FDR, it did not confer improvement in GP. Differences in model performance in FDR vs GP children may lead to important insights into screening strategies specific to these groups.

Family adjustment to diabetes diagnosis in children: Can participation in a study on type 1 diabetes genetic risk be helpful?

BACKGROUND: Diagnosis of type 1 diabetes often causes a negative psychological impact on families. We examined whether parents and children enrolled in The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) study differ in their psychological adjustment to diabetes diagnosis compared to children diagnosed with diabetes in the community. METHODS: TEDDY follows 8676 children at genetic risk for type 1 diabetes from birth. Fifty-four TEDDY children diagnosed with diabetes and 54 age-matched community control children diagnosed with diabetes were enrolled. Participants were aged 3 to 10 years and study visits occurred at 3, 6, and 12 months postdiagnosis. Psychological measures included an adapted diabetes-specific State Anxiety Inventory, the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory-Diabetes Module, and the Pediatric Inventory for Parents, which measures frequency and difficulty of parenting stress. RESULTS: A generalized estimating equation analysis based on a difference score between TEDDY children and community controls found no significant differences between TEDDY parents and community controls on parent diabetes-specific anxiety (P = .30). However, TEDDY children exhibited better diabetes-specific quality of life (P = .03) and TEDDY parents reported lower frequency (P = .004) and difficulty (P = .008) of parenting stress compared to community controls. CONCLUSIONS: Children diagnosed with at-risk for type 1 diabetes who have previously enrolled in research monitoring have improved diabetes quality of life and lower parenting stress postdiagnosis compared to children diagnosed in the community. Families in follow-up studies may be more prepared if their child is diagnosed with diabetes.

Late-onset islet autoimmunity in childhood: the Diabetes Autoimmunity Study in the Young (DAISY).

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: We sought to assess the frequency, determinants and prognosis for future diabetes in individuals with islet autoimmunity and whether these factors differ depending on the age of onset of islet autoimmunity. METHODS: A prospective cohort (n = 2547) of children from the general population who had a high-risk HLA genotype and children who had a first-degree relative with type 1 diabetes were followed for up to 21 years. Those with the persistent presence of one or more islet autoantibodies were categorised as early-onset (<8 years of age, n = 143, median 3.3 years) or late-onset (≥8 years of age, n = 64, median 11.1 years), and were followed for a median of 7.4 and 4.7 years, respectively. Progression to diabetes was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier analysis with logrank test. Factors associated with progression to diabetes were analysed using the parametric accelerated failure time model. RESULTS: Children with late-onset islet autoimmunity were more likely to be Hispanic or African-American than non-Hispanic white (p = 0.004), and less likely to be siblings of individuals with type 1 diabetes (p = 0.04). The frequencies of the HLA-DR3/4 genotype and non-HLA gene variants associated with type 1 diabetes did not differ between the two groups. However, age and HLA-DR3/4 were important predictors of rate of progression to both the presence of additional autoantibodies and type 1 diabetes. Late-onset islet autoimmunity was more likely to present with a single islet autoantibody (p = 0.01) and revert to an antibody-negative state (p = 0.01). Progression to diabetes was significantly slower in children with late-onset islet autoimmunity (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: A late onset of islet autoimmunity is more common in African-American and Hispanic individuals. About half of those with late-onset islet autoimmunity progress to show multiple islet autoantibodies and develop diabetes in adolescence or early adulthood. Further investigation of environmental determinants of late-onset autoimmunity may lead to an understanding of and ability to prevent adolescent and adult-onset type 1 diabetes.

Genetic Risk Scores for Type 1 Diabetes Prediction and Diagnosis.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: About 50% of the heritability of type 1 diabetes (T1D) is attributed to human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles and the remainder to several (close to 50) non-HLA loci. A current challenge in the field of the genetics of T1D is to apply the knowledge accumulated in the last 40 years towards differential diagnosis and risk assessment. RECENT FINDINGS: T1D genetic risk scores seek to combine the information from HLA and non-HLA alleles to improve the accuracy of diagnosis, prediction, and prognosis. Here, we describe genetic risk scores that have been developed and validated in various settings and populations. Several genetic scores have been proposed that merge disease risk information from multiple genetic factors to optimize the use of genetic information and ultimately improve prediction and diagnosis of T1D.

Residual beta-cell function in diabetes children followed and diagnosed in the TEDDY study compared to community controls.

OBJECTIVE: To explore whether children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes during islet autoantibody surveillance through The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) study retain greater islet function than children diagnosed through the community. METHODS: TEDDY children identified at birth with high-risk human leukocyte antigen and followed every 3 months until diabetes diagnosis were compared to age-matched children diagnosed with diabetes in the community. Both participated in long-term follow up after diagnosis. Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and mixed meal tolerance test were performed within 1 month of diabetes onset, then at 3, 6, and 12 months, and biannually thereafter. RESULTS: Comparison of 43 TEDDY and 43 paired control children showed that TEDDY children often had no symptoms (58%) at diagnosis and none had diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) compared with 98% with diabetes symptoms and 14% DKA in the controls (P < 0.001 and P = 0.03, respectively). At diagnosis, mean HbA1c was lower in TEDDY (6.8%, 51 mmol/mol) than control (10.5%, 91 mmol/mol) children (P < 0.0001). TEDDY children had significantly higher area under the curve and peak C-peptide values than the community controls throughout the first year postdiagnosis. Total insulin dose and insulin dose-adjusted A1c were lower throughout the first year postdiagnosis for TEDDY compared with control children. CONCLUSIONS: Higher C-peptide levels in TEDDY vs community-diagnosed children persist for at least 12 months following diabetes onset and appear to represent a shift in the disease process of about 6 months. Symptom-free diagnosis, reduction of DKA, and the potential for immune intervention with increased baseline C-peptide may portend additional long-term benefits of early diagnosis.