Genetics of circulating proteins in newborn babies at high risk of type 1 diabetes

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Mauro Tutino - , Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health (Author)
  • Nancy Yiu Lin Yu - , Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health (Author)
  • Konstantinos Hatzikotoulas - , Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health (Author)
  • Young Chan Park - , Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health (Author)
  • Peter Kreitmaier - , Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Technical University of Munich (Author)
  • Georgia Katsoula - , Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Technical University of Munich (Author)
  • Reinhard Berner - , Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden (Author)
  • Kristina Casteels - , KU Leuven (Author)
  • Helena Elding Larsson - , Lund University (Author)
  • Olga Kordonouri - , Children's Hospital Auf der Bult (Author)
  • Mariusz Ołtarzewski - , Institute of Mother and Child (Author)
  • Agnieszka Szypowska - , Medical University of Warsaw (Author)
  • Raffael Ott - , Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health (Author)
  • Andreas Weiss - , Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health (Author)
  • Christiane Winkler - , Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health (Author)
  • Jose Zapardiel-Gonzalo - , Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health (Author)
  • Agnese Petrera - , Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health (Author)
  • Stefanie M. Hauck - , Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health (Author)
  • Ezio Bonifacio - , Chair of Preclinical stem cell therapy and diabetes, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden, Paul Langerhans Institute Dresden (PLID) of the Helmholtz Center Munich (Author)
  • Anette Gabriele Ziegler - , Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Technical University of Munich (Author)
  • Eleftheria Zeggini - , Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Technical University of Munich (Author)

Abstract

Type 1 diabetes is a chronic, autoimmune disease characterized by the destruction of insulin-producing β-cells in the pancreas. Early detection can facilitate timely intervention, potentially delaying or preventing disease onset. Circulating proteins reflect dysregulated biological processes and offer insights into early disease mechanisms. Here, we construct a genome-wide pQTL map of 1985 proteins in 695 newborn babies (median age 2 days) at increased genetic risk of developing Type 1 diabetes. We identify 535 pQTLs (352 cis-pQTLs, 183 trans-pQTLs), 62 of which characteristic of newborns. We show colocalization of pQTLs for CTRB1, APOBR, IL7R, CPA1, and PNLIPRP1 with Type 1 diabetes GWAS signals, and Mendelian randomization causally implicates each of these five proteins in the aetiology of Type 1 diabetes. Our study illustrates the utility of newborn molecular profiles for discovering potential drug targets for childhood diseases of significant concern.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number3750
JournalNature communications
Volume16
Issue number1
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2025
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 40263317
ORCID /0000-0002-8704-4713/work/199962130