Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 3 complete abstracts (580 words), 9 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
A subtype of diabetes mellitus that is characterized by insulin deficiency. It is manifested by the sudden onset of severe hyperglycemia, rapid progression to diabetic ketoacidosis, and death unless treated with insulin. The disease may occur at any age, but is most common in childhood or adolescence.
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Type 1 Diabetes; Diabetes, Type 1; Diabetes Mellitus, Insulin-Dependent; Diabetes Mellitus, Insulin Dependent; Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus; Diabetes Mellitus, Juvenile-Onset; Diabetes Mellitus, Juvenile Onset; Juvenile-Onset Diabetes Mellitus.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Diabetes Mellitus; Autoimmune Diseases
- Narrower topics
- Wolfram Syndrome
- See also
- Mice, Inbred NOD
Related concepts
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Insulin
- Hyperglycemia
- Diabetic Ketoacidosis
- Death
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 95,259 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1” (counts retrieved 2026-10-29). 19,180 of them (20.1%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is through 1999 with 30,745 records.
Reviews account for 14,178 records (14.9%) and meta-analyses for 1,028. Randomized controlled trials number 4,278 (4.5%) as a share of all records on the topic.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 30,745 |
| 2000-2009 | 19,798 |
| 2010-2019 | 25,536 |
| 2020 onward | 19,180 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 14,178 | 14.9% |
| Meta-analyses | 1,028 | 1.1% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 4,278 | 4.5% |
Method: PubMed query "Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-10-29.
Reading the evidence in immunology
Immune responses are studied in model organisms, in cells from donors and in patients, and the same pathway can behave differently across these settings. Mouse immune systems differ from human ones in important ways, and blood measurements may not reflect what happens in tissues. Clinical conclusions about immune-mediated disease or immunotherapy come mainly from controlled trials and long-term cohorts. Check the species and tissue studied, whether markers were linked to outcomes patients notice, and the follow-up time.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Receptor-tethered orthogonal IL-2 enhances regulatory T cell therapy | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 5 | cc by PMID 42584417 · DOI · PMC13521516 |
| Imaging mass cytometry reveals functional and immunological changes during type 1 diabetes progression in human pancreata | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 3 | cc by PMID 42393283 · DOI · PMC13400304 |
| Exploring the feasibility and acceptability of Continuous Glucose Monitoring among people with type 1 diabetes and healthcare providers in South Africa's public sector: A qualitative study | 2026 | Randomized controlled trial Design not recorded in structured metadata | 3 | cc by PMID 42461833 · DOI · PMC13374883 |
Receptor-tethered orthogonal IL-2 enhances regulatory T cell therapy [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Regulatory T cell (Treg) therapy is an emerging platform for controlling immune overactivation.
- Closing excerpt
- Together, these results illustrate a safe and effective cell-engineering solution for overcoming Tregs' dependency on exogenous IL-2, thereby achieving superior therapeutic efficacy.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (158 words)
Regulatory T cell (Treg) therapy is an emerging platform for controlling immune overactivation. Persistence of infused Tregs is limited by insufficient IL-2, which is essential for Treg survival and function. IL-2 activates many immune cells, imposing a challenge for the selective provision of IL-2 to infused Tregs. In this study, we found that infusions of orthogonal (ortho) IL-2 failed to enhance Tregs expressing a corresponding orthoIL-2 receptor (IL-2R) in a mouse model of autoimmune diabetes. Engineering Tregs with an orthoIL-2 tethered to its receptor achieved selective autocrine signaling; increased CD25, CTLA-4, and Foxp3 expression; supported Treg persistence without exogenous IL-2 in vivo; and improved the efficacy of Treg prevention of autoimmune diabetes. Inserting the tethered orthoIL-2 construct into the Foxp3 locus enabled Treg-specific self-reinforced expression through the activation of the Foxp3 locus by increased IL-2 signaling. Together, these results illustrate a safe and effective cell-engineering solution for overcoming Tregs' dependency on exogenous IL-2, thereby achieving superior therapeutic efficacy.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42584417 · DOI · PMC13521516
Imaging mass cytometry reveals functional and immunological changes during type 1 diabetes progression in human pancreata [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- The pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes, particularly at autoantibody-positive preclinical stages, remains poorly understood, in part due to limited sample availability.
- Closing excerpt
- Our data present a resource describing early type 1 diabetes progression and reveal potentially clinically actionable features before extensive β-cells loss.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (162 words)
The pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes, particularly at autoantibody-positive preclinical stages, remains poorly understood, in part due to limited sample availability. Here we show imaging mass cytometry data of pancreas samples from 88 organ donors, including 28 single and 10 multiple autoantibody-positive donors. We imaged 16 million single-cells using 79 antibodies to characterize β-cell states and the islet-immune interface, correcting for relevant covariates. We identified interactions between pro-inflammatory macrophages and exhausted-like (PD1+TIM3+) T cells. These interactions were characteristic of early disease and of insulitic islets, indicating a key role of macrophages in disease development. β-cells showed loss of IAPP in preclinical disease, insulitic interferon signatures and no increase in three measured endoplasmic reticulum stress markers in disease samples relative to control. Multiple immune cell subtypes were associated with young age and insulitis, potentially contributing to greater disease severity in younger patients. Our data present a resource describing early type 1 diabetes progression and reveal potentially clinically actionable features before extensive β-cells loss.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42393283 · DOI · PMC13400304
Exploring the feasibility and acceptability of Continuous Glucose Monitoring among people with type 1 diabetes and healthcare providers in South Africa's public sector: A qualitative study [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- BackgroundContinuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) is an advancement in diabetes management, offering real-time insights into blood glucose levels and facilitating decision-making around diabetes care.
- Closing excerpt
- However, integration requires a coordinated, multi-level response, strengthening provider and patient awareness, knowledge, adequately resourced multi-disciplinary diabetes care teams, and addressing affordability through supportive health policies.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (260 words)
BackgroundContinuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) is an advancement in diabetes management, offering real-time insights into blood glucose levels and facilitating decision-making around diabetes care. However, its adoption in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) remains low. This study explored the perceptions and experiences of CGM use among people living with type 1 diabetes (T1D), their caregivers, and healthcare providers (HCPs) in the public sector in South Africa.MethodsConvenience sampling was used to recruit participants from the ACCEDE study - a pragmatic randomised controlled trial on CGM use among people living with T1D in South Africa. Between July 2024 and February 2025, we conducted focus group discussions (FGDs) with recipients of care and caregivers and semi-structured interviews (SSIs) with HCPs across study sites in Cape Town and Pretoria. All FGDs and SSIs were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analysed using MAXQDA 2022. Data analysis followed thematic content analysis, and the findings presented according to the socioecological framework.ResultsA total of 107 participants, including 75 people living with T1D, 17 caregivers, and 15 HCPs, were included in the study. CGM was generally perceived as acceptable due to convenience, reduced need for finger-prick testing, and enhanced understanding of glucose patterns. Feasibility was enhanced by ease of use, access to training, and social support. Key barriers included cost, limited awareness, and socio-economic constraints such as food insecurity and lack of access to transport.ConclusionCGMs are both feasible and acceptable within South Africa's public healthcare context. However, integration requires a coordinated, multi-level response, strengthening provider and patient awareness, knowledge, adequately resourced multi-disciplinary diabetes care teams, and addressing affordability through supportive health policies.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42461833 · DOI · PMC13374883
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article The risk of hip and non-vertebral fractures in type 1 and type 2 diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis update [4]
- Research article Effect of low glycaemic index or load dietary patterns on glycaemic control and cardiometabolic risk factors in diabetes: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials [5]
- Research article Diabetes mellitus and the risk of fractures at specific sites: a meta-analysis [6]
- Research article Immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced Type 1 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis [7]
- Research article Effectiveness of continuous glucose monitoring in maintaining glycaemic control among people with type 1 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review of randomised controlled trials and meta-analysis [8]
- Research article The global impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the incidence of pediatric new-onset type 1 diabetes and ketoacidosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis [9]
References
- Indart AC, Lyu H, Nguyen VQ, Rosenthal W, Palvai JR, Jang SS, et al.. Receptor-tethered orthogonal IL-2 enhances regulatory T cell therapy. . 2026. PMID 42584417 · DOI · PMC13521516
- Steenbuck N, Damond N, Engler S, Kusmartseva I, Posgai AL, Drotar DM, et al.. Imaging mass cytometry reveals functional and immunological changes during type 1 diabetes progression in human pancreata. . 2026. PMID 42393283 · DOI · PMC13400304
- Muhwava L, Marbán-Castro E, Silima M, Karsas M, Kemp T, Freitas J, et al.. Exploring the feasibility and acceptability of Continuous Glucose Monitoring among people with type 1 diabetes and healthcare providers in South Africa's public sector: A qualitative study. . 2026. PMID 42461833 · DOI · PMC13374883
- Vilaca T, Schini M, Harnan S, Sutton A, Poku E, Allen IE, et al.. The risk of hip and non-vertebral fractures in type 1 and type 2 diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis update. Bone. 2020. PMID 32480023 · DOI
- Chiavaroli L, Lee D, Ahmed A, Cheung A, Khan TA, Blanco S, et al.. Effect of low glycaemic index or load dietary patterns on glycaemic control and cardiometabolic risk factors in diabetes: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. BMJ. 2021. PMID 34348965 · DOI · PMC8336013
- Wang H, Ba Y, Xing Q, Du JL. Diabetes mellitus and the risk of fractures at specific sites: a meta-analysis. BMJ Open. 2019. PMID 30610024 · DOI · PMC6326306
- Akturk HK, Kahramangil D, Sarwal A, Hoffecker L, Murad MH, Michels AW. Immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced Type 1 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Diabet Med. 2019. PMID 31199005 · DOI · PMC6698212
- Teo E, Hassan N, Tam W, Koh S. Effectiveness of continuous glucose monitoring in maintaining glycaemic control among people with type 1 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review of randomised controlled trials and meta-analysis. Diabetologia. 2022. PMID 35141761 · DOI
- Rahmati M, Keshvari M, Mirnasuri S, Yon DK, Lee SW, Il Shin J, et al.. The global impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the incidence of pediatric new-onset type 1 diabetes and ketoacidosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Med Virol. 2022. PMID 35831242 · DOI · PMC9350204
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-10-31; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-10-29.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.