Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are associated with lowered immunity and recurrent infections. Scientists at Karolinska Institute in Sweden have discovered that the immune system of people with diabetes has lower levels of the antimicrobial peptide psoriasin. This compromises the urinary bladder’s c
Diabetes is a common disease that affects health in many ways. It results from a lack of insulin and/or decreased insulin action. Insulin is a hormone that regulates glucose and thus energy to the cells. When a person has type 1 diabetes, the body stops producing insulin, while in type 2 diabetes, the cells have become less sensitive to insulin, which contributes to high blood glucose levels.
One effect of diabetes is that it compromises the innate immune system. This leaves many people with increased susceptibility to regular infections, such as urinary tract infections s caused bybacteria. In people with diabetes, these are more likely to lead to general blood poisoning originating in the urinary tract.
“We found that high glucose concentrations reduce the levels of the antimicrobial peptide psoriasin, while insulin has no effect,” says Annelie Brauner. She led the study and is a professor at the Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institute. “People with diabetes have lower levels of psoriasin, which weakens the cells’ protective barrier function and increases the risk of bladder infection.
“We now plan to probe deeper into the underlying mechanisms of infections in individuals with diabetes,” says the study’s lead author Soumitra Mohanty. He is a researcher in the same department at Karolinska Institute. “The ultimate goal is to reduce the risk of infection in this growing patient group.”
Reference: “Diabetes downregulates the antimicrobial peptide psoriasin and increases E. coli burden in the urinary bladder” by Soumitra Mohanty, Witchuda Kamolvit, Andrea Scheffschick, Anneli Björklund, Jonas Tovi, Alexander Espinosa, Kerstin Brismar, Thomas Nyström, Jens M.