LAUSR

Progression to clinical type 1 diabetes is monitored through the appearance of islet autoantibodies against pancreatic b -cell antigens, and most children with two or more autoantibodies progress to disease (1). However, autoantibodies indicate already active islet autoimmunity, and by that time, loss of immune tolerance may have reached a point of no return. Thus, there is an urgent need for biomarkers that would predict the disease before the appearance of islet autoantibodies and provide a longer window for intervention. New biomarkers might help identify optimal sets of subjects for clinical trials or a sub-group of patients who may be more likely to bene fi t from a given therapy. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) secreted in extracellular vesicles have been detected in blood and may have biomarker potential Several studies have shown the use-fulness of miRNAs as biomarkers for many diseases (reviewed al. Aberrant miRNA expression has observed in of 1