Salmonella-Based Vaccine Promising for Type 1 Diabetes
A new combination vaccine containing live salmonella is a safe and effective method of preventing type 1 diabetes in a mouse model, according to a new study.1
The study findings were presented at the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society on April 3, 2016, in Boston, MA.
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Previous studies have suggested that immunotherapy might hold the key to effectively treating type 1 diabetes, rather than just managing its symptoms as current standards suggest, but the theory was never fully studied.
For their vaccine, researchers combined Salmonella typhimurium bacteria with other cytokines and a low dose of the immunosuppressive monoclonal antibody anti-CD3. The researchers tested the vaccine in a non-obese mouse model of type 1 diabetes.
The researchers found that the vaccine rebalanced the mice’s immune system to prevent further breakdown of insulin-producing cells, restored normal glucose tolerance, and prevented diabetes.
“Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease, meaning that the underlying problem is with the immune system,” researchers concluded. “This vaccine is a very safe and effective targeted immunotherapy, and we believe it’s a great place to start in the development of a vaccine to stop type 1 diabetes.”2
—Amanda Balbi
Reference:
- Elsayed MIH, Du W, Wang D, et al. Salmonella-based combination immunotherapy for type 1 diabetes. Paper presented at: Endo 2016. https://endo.confex.com/endo/2016endo/webprogram/Paper28207.html. Presented April 3, 2016.
- Salmonella-based oral vaccine a promising therapy for preventing type 1 diabetes [press release]. Boston, MA: Endocrine Society; April 2, 2016. http://www.newswise.com/articles/salmonella-based-oral-vaccine-a-promising-therapy-for-preventing-type-1-diabetes. Accessed April 6, 2016.