Immune and environmental determinants of diabetes

Diabetes is often described as a metabolic disease. Yet, over the past decade, it has become clear that the immune system is deeply involved at every stage of the disease. From early changes in insulin sensitivity to progressive tissue damage, immune dysfunction and chronic inflammation are not side features. They are central to how diabetes develops and how it progresses.This Research Topic focuses on that immune dimension. We are interested in work that helps us better understand how immune pathways shape diabetes across its spectrum. This includes both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, as well as their complications. Questions around immune cell behaviour, inflammatory signalling, and the interaction between metabolism and immunity are particularly relevant.At the same time, immune responses do not exist in isolation. They are constantly shaped by the environment. Diet, pollutants, infections, the microbiome, and broader lifestyle factors all influence immune tone and inflammatory balance. These exposures may help explain why diabetes presents differently across individuals and populations, and why disease trajectories vary so widely.We welcome contributions that explore these connections in a clear and mechanistic way. This includes studies on immune dysfunction, chronic inflammation, immunometabolism, and immune-driven complications such as nephropathy, neuropathy, and cardiovascular disease. We are also interested in work identifying inflammatory biomarkers or immune signatures that can improve risk prediction, patient stratification, or treatment response. Studies that examine how environmental exposures alter immune responses in diabetes are strongly encouraged.Our aim with this collection is simple: to bring the immune system back to the centre of how we think about diabetes, while recognising that it is shaped by the world around us. By doing so, we hope to support a more integrated view of the disease and open the door to more precise and meaningful interventions. Topic editors: Hamad Ali, Anwar Mohammad, Barrak Alahmad, Ali Abdul-Rahman Dashti Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/80453/immune-and-environmental-determinants-of-diabetes