Abstract
BackgroundType 1 diabetes incidence presents a decreasing gradient in Europe from the Nordic countries to the Mediterranean ones. Exception to this gradient is represented by Sardinia, the second largest Mediterranean island whose population shows the highest incidence in Europe, after Finland. The genetic features of this population have created a fertile ground for the epidemic of the disease, however, as well as being strikingly high, the incidence rate has suddenly presented a continuous increase from the ‘50s, not explainable by accumulation of new genetic variants. Several environmental factors have been taken into account, possibly interacting with the genetic/epigenetic scenario, but there are no strong evidences to date.MethodsThe present study investigated the hypothesis that geochemical elements could create permissive environmental conditions for autoimmune diabetes. An ecological analysis was performed to test possible correlations between the values of eight elements in stream sediments and type 1 diabetes incidence rate in Sardinia.ResultsAnalyses revealed negative associations between elements, such as Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Zn, and type 1 diabetes incidence.ConclusionsThe results suggest a possible protective role of some elements against the onset of the disease.
Highlights
Sardinia has the second highest type 1 diabetes (T1D) incidence rate (44.8/100 000 personyears, 0–14 years,1989–2009) [1], in the world, with an annual increase of 2.12%. The existence of this geographical clustering [2] is rooted primarily in the genetic peculiarities of the Sardinian population, where one of the haplotypes most predisposing to T1D (HLA-DR3-B18) is very frequent [3]
It is relevant to assess whereas geographical variation in T1D risk within the Sardinia island are correlated with the geochemical distribution of such elements taking advantage of the existence in Sardinia of both a T1D incidence Registry in childhood and of an ongoing study on ore deposits prospecting, which started more than forty years ago, through the sampling of several environmental media supports and their geochemical analysis
Apart from Ni and U, all other elements were significantly correlated with risk of T1D, Co and Zn
Summary
Type 1 diabetes incidence presents a decreasing gradient in Europe from the Nordic countries to the Mediterranean ones. Exception to this gradient is represented by Sardinia, the second largest Mediterranean island whose population shows the highest incidence in Europe, after Finland. The genetic features of this population have created a fertile ground for the epidemic of the disease, as well as being strikingly high, the incidence rate has suddenly presented a continuous increase from the ‘50s, not explainable by accumulation of new genetic variants. Data Availability Statement: All data are available in the supporting information files.
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