Canberra, Thursday 27 September, 2001

ANU world-first paves way for diabetes vaccine

Scientists at The Australian National University have accidentally discovered the first diabetes susceptibility gene in mice. For 20 years researchers have been trying to identify these genes, which have until now, remained elusive.

The exciting ANU breakthrough could lead to the development of a human vaccine against Type 1 or juvenile onset diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease, affecting about one in 250 Australians, which causes the body to break down its own insulin-producing cells. While investigating how and why this occurs, ANU researchers stumbled across the diabetes gene.

"We were actually working on HLA markers, which act like traffic signals, protecting our tissues from attack by the immune system," a researcher at the John Curtin School of Medical Research, Dr Robyn Slattery said. "As part of this work we were using what's known as NOD mice, specially bred to be susceptible to diabetes. In these mice we were using two variants of a gene called b2M. The 'a' type is usually used by NOD mice, but because it wasn't available we decided to use it's slightly altered cousin 'b' type as an interim measure. We expected both lots of mice would go on to develop diabetes, but to our surprise the 'b' mice didn't!"

This accidental discovery, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science USA, suggests the subtle differences in the structures of the "a" and "b" proteins (made by the respective genes), is enough to dictate whether or not a mouse will go on to develop diabetes. The race is now on to compare the b2M forms in diabetic and non-diabetic humans. After five years of research, funded by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), the breakthrough also paves a new direction for developing a vaccine that could be used in humans.

"At best this work could eventually lead to us being able to genetically screen individuals and identify who is at risk of developing diabetes," Dr Slattery said. "It would then be a case of making a vaccine that could switch off the autoimmune response in their body, so they don't go on to develop the disease."

Dr Slattery and a new research team, including experts in vaccination and transplantation, are now pursuing a vaccine to prevent Type I diabetes.

For interviews contact: Dr Robyn Slattery 02 6125 3115 (w), 0416 241 746 (mob), Marilyn Harrington (JDRF ) 02 6277 2414
or Leah Slattery 02 6125 5001 (w) 0416 249 108 (mob)

No: 83/2001

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The Australian National University.
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Last Modified Tue, July 16, 2002