Grant: Project Grant - PA: Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes

Sunlight therapy (phototherapy) is commonly used by dermatologists to treat inflammatory skin disease. It is known that this treatment works in part in the skin by inducing the death of disease-causing immune cells. This treatment also improves the function and number of immune protective cells called regulatory T cells. We have shown in an animal model that sunlight treatment of mice destined to get autoimmune diabetes prevents the development of diabetes in these animals. We will determine the characteristics of ultraviolet light (a portion of sunlight) that is required to prevent disease such as dosing, timing and wavelength. We will determine how the light affects regulatory T cells in the animal model. This work will lay the groundwork for the prevention of autoimmune diabetes in at risk humans through the use of sunlight therapy.