Authors:
Penno M, Couper J, Craig M, Colman P, Rawlinson W, Cotterill A, Jones T, Harrison L, ENDIA Study Group
Authors notes:
BMC Pediatrics. 2013;13(1):124
Keywords:
Type 1 diabetes, Islet autoimmunity, Beta cell, Pregnancy, Infancy, Microbiome, Insulin resistance, Immunity, Virus, Systems biology
Abstract:
The incidence of type 1 diabetes has increased worldwide, particularly in younger children and those with lower genetic susceptibility.
These observations suggest factors in the modern environment promote pancreatic islet autoimmunity and destruction of insulin-producing beta cells.
The Environmental Determinants of Islet Autoimmunity (ENDIA) Study is investigating candidate environmental exposures and gene-environment interactions that may contribute to the development of islet autoimmunity and type 1 diabetes.
Defining gene-environment interactions that initiate and/or promote destruction of the insulin-producing beta cells in early life will inform approaches to primary prevention of type 1 diabetes.
The strength of ENDIA is the prospective, comprehensive and frequent systems-wide profiling from early pregnancy through to early childhood, to capture dynamic environmental exposures that may shape the development of islet autoimmunity.