From the ACS Press Room
Reversing New-onset Type 1 Diabetes with Pyramid-like DNA “Tetrahedral Framework Nucleic Acids Reverse New-Onset Type 1 Diabetes”
lin-secreting cells, people with type 1 diabetes have fewer regulatory T cells (Tregs) — immune cells that suppress the differentiation ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces and activation of other, self-attacking T cells. Usually diagnosed in children, teens and In a recent study published in ACS’ Nano young adults, type 1 diabetes is an autoim- Letters, Yunfeng Lin and colleagues showed mune disease in which the immune system that treating mice with tFNAs could prevent attacks and destroys insulin-secreting β-cells type 1 diabetes, in part by increasing Treg in the pancreas. As a result, people with type numbers. Originally designed to carry other 1 diabetes can’t regulate their blood sugar therapeutic molecules into cells, tFNAs have levels and require insulin treatment for sur- recently been shown to modulate the immune vival. Now, researchers reporting in ACS Ap- system on their own. Now, the researchers plied Materials & Interfaces have reversed wanted to find out if these molecules could new-onset type 1 diabetes in mice with pyra- reverse new-onset type 1 diabetes, before mid-like DNA molecules called tetrahedral pancreatic β-cells were completely destroyed. framework nucleic acids (tFNAs). The researchers made tFNAs from four sinAbout 64,000 gle-stranded DNA segments that selfpeople in the assembled into pyramid-like shapes, called U.S. are diag- tetrahedrons. But whereas a pyramid is nosed with square at its base, tetrahedrons are triangular. type 1 diabetes Then, every other day for 4 weeks, they ineach year, ac- jected the tFNAs into 10 mice with newcording to the onset type 1 diabetes, while 10 other diabetic Juvenile Dia- mice were injected with saline. In the control betes Research mice, blood glucose levels continued to rise, Foundation. and 60% of the mice died during the 12-week Drawing of tetrahedral framework There is no follow-up period. In contrast, blood glucose nucleic acids, which reversed newcure for the levels in mice treated with tFNAs went down onset type 1 diabetes in mice. Credit: Adapted from ACS Applied disease, and to to normal levels, and none of the rodents Materials & Interfaces 2021, DOI: manage sympdied. In a further analysis of the tFNA10.1021/acsami.1c16151 toms, people treated mice, the team found that pancreatic β must measure their blood sugar levels -cells were protected, and Tregs were rethroughout the day and administer insulin stored to normal levels, while auto-reactive T through an injection or pump. Although sci- cells decreased in the pancreas. Although the entists still don’t know exactly what causes Continued on Page 14 the body to turn against itself and attack insuNovember 2021
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