Is diabetes an auto-immune disease?

[Siracusa8]

I'm researching type1 diabetes and am looking at the triggers that stop the pancreas from producing insulin.

[Sqad]

Yes....all the evidence suggests that Type 1 diabetes is caused by the body producing antibodies against it's own beta cells in the pancreas causing the disorder.

The aetiology of type 2 diabetes is quite different.

[Jemisa]

By what do you mean 'Auto-Imune'? Sir...

jem (BDA)

[Sqad]

Sorry....I have only half answered your question.

There is considerable dispute as to whether genetic or environmental factors trigger the auto-immune response.

In the environmental camp there is a suggestion that cow's milk protein acts a a trigger and the latest research casts aspersions on the role of viruses.

I am not a chemical pathologist and that is my sum knowledge on the subject.

[LazyGun]

Lots of evidence supporting the hypothesis that Diabetes 1 is an auto-immune disease.
The pathogenesis is essentially that the cells responsible for producing insulin are attacked and destroyed by the bodies own immune system. The evidence supporting the autoimmune hypothesis is plentiful and multifactorial, ranging from positive family history, through to associations with other autoimmune diseases,an association with HLA class II markers,, observed lymphocytic infiltrationin the islets of langerhans, and the observation that treatment with immunosuppressive drugs retards the development of Diabetes 1. It is also characterised by the presence of autoantibodies in the serum, specific for insulin and lnagerhans islet cells. Further evidence comes from a whole host of animal studies.

So, there is no serious evidence suggesting that Diabetes 1 is anything other than an autoimmune disease.

As to triggers - well, thats always a little uncertain, as sqad has already alluded to. Individuals who go on to develop diabetes 1 almost certainly have an inherited genetic predisposition. The actual trigger is less clear, but there is some circumstantial and inferential evidence to support the idea that there may be more than one type of trigger, ranging from viral infection, through to exposure to chemical toxins. The idea that early exposure to cows milk is a cause ( ie early cessation of breast feeding) is very controversial, with the evidence supporting the hypothesis marginal and subjective.

[nungate]

Not too sure if this will help, but 24 years ago my daughter was born and she "picked" up a virus from my bloodstream. 2 days after her birth she had a bath and during the bath a small scab on her head where the monitor had been attached during delivery was knocked off which later began to "weep" onto the cot sheet, I pointed this out to one of the midwives who called for a doctor and the next thing I know is my 2 day old baby was in the neo natal unit suffering from meningitis. She was then in hospital for four weeks and had 7 lumbar punctures, 2 head scans and a blood tranfusion. All this time she was dosed with antibiotics. I get her home from hospital and she grows and develops more or less normally. Until, one night just before I retired I went in to check on her and whether she might need changing, as she quite often had a really wet nappy late at night but that night not only was the nappy sodden she was too.
Next day I phoned our GP and they wanted a urine sample, which was found to have high sugar levels so it was back to the hospital my 2 year old was now a diabetic - and has been for 22 years. During a chat with our pharmacist we got around to my daughter and the pharmacist thought that the antibiotics she had had for the meningitis might have had an effect on her immune system - she did seem to catch just about every bug going round as a toddler so it's possible. I hope this potted history might be of assistance in your research