AKT1 and type 1 diabetes mellitus: SDF-1α may also have protective effects in T1D due to AKT phosphorylation downstream of CXCR4 activation, which in turn increases survival and inhibits dedifferentiation of beta cells.39, 40 We observed a potent chemotactic effect of SDF-1α on CXCR4+ Jurkat T cells (Figure 3(a)).