Immunology of IDDM

Targeting dysfunctional beta-cell signaling for the potential treatment of type 1 diabetes mellitus

Since its discovery and purification by Frederick Banting in 1921, exogenous insulin has remained almost the sole therapy for type 1 diabetes mellitus. While insulin alleviates the primary dysfunction of the disease, many other aspects of the pathophysiology of type 1 diabetes mellitus are unaffected. Research aimed towards the discovery of novel type 1 diabetes mellitus therapeutics targeting different cell signaling pathways is gaining momentum. The focus of these efforts has been almost entirely on the impact of immunomodulatory drugs, particularly those that have already received FDA-approval for other autoimmune diseases. However, these drugs can often have severe side effects, while also putting already immunocompromised individuals at an increased risk for other infections. Potential therapeutic targets in the insulin-producing beta-cell have been largely ignored by the type 1 diabetes mellitus field, save the glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor. While there is preliminary evidence to support the clinical exploration of glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor-based drugs as type 1 diabetes mellitus adjuvant therapeutics, there is a vast space for other putative therapeutic targets to be explored. The alpha subunit of the heterotrimeric G_z protein (Gα_z) has been shown to promote beta-cell inflammation, dysfunction, death, and failure to replicate in the context of diabetes in a number of mouse models. Genetic loss of Gα_z or inhibition of the Gα_z signaling pathway through dietary interventions is protective against the development of insulitis and hyperglycemia. The multifaceted effects of Gα_z in regards to beta-cell health in the context of diabetes make it an ideal therapeutic target for further study. It is our belief that a low-risk, effective therapy for type 1 diabetes mellitus will involve a multidimensional approach targeting a number of regulatory systems, not the least of which is the insulin-producing beta-cell. Impact statement The expanding investigation of beta-cell therapeutic targets for the treatment and prevention of type 1 diabetes mellitus is fundamentally relevant and timely. This review summarizes the overall scope of research into novel type 1 diabetes mellitus therapeutics, highlighting weaknesses or caveats in current clinical trials as well as describing potential new targets to pursue. More specifically, signaling proteins that act as modulators of beta-cell function, survival, and replication, as well as immune infiltration may need to be targeted to develop the most efficient pharmaceutical interventions for type 1 diabetes mellitus. One such beta-cell signaling pathway, mediated by the alpha subunit of the heterotrimeric G_z protein (Gα_z), is discussed in more detail. The work described here will be critical in moving the field forward as it emphasizes the central role of the beta-cell in type 1 diabetes mellitus disease pathology.

Nicotine and autoimmunity: The lotus' flower in tobacco

Nicotine, the major component of cigarettes, has demonstrated conflicting impact on the immune system: some authors suggest that increases pro-inflammatory cytokines and provokes cellular apoptosis of neutrophils, releasing intracellular components that act as auto-antigens; others claimed that nicotine has a protective and anti-inflammatory effects, especially by binding to α7 subunit of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. The cholinergic pathway contributes to an anti-inflammatory environment characterized by increasing T regulatory cells response, down-regulating of pro-inflammatory cytokines and a pro-inflammatory cells apoptosis. The effects of nicotine were studied in different autoimmune disease, as multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, sarcoidosis, Behçet's disease and inflammatory bowel diseases. The major problems about nicotine are the addiction and the adverse effects of related to each commercialized formulation. We sought in this review to summarize the knowledge accumulated to date concerning the relationship between nicotine and autoimmunity.

Inhibition of Autoimmune Diabetes in NOD Mice by miRNA Therapy

Autoimmune destruction of the pancreatic islets in Type 1 diabetes is mediated by both increased proinflammatory (Teff) and decreased regulatory (Treg) T lymphocytes resulting in a significant decrease in the Treg:Teff ratio. The non-obese diabetic (NOD) mouse is an excellent in vivo model for testing potential therapeutics for attenuating the decrease in the Treg:Teff ratio and inhibiting disease pathogenesis. Here we show for the first time that a bioreactor manufactured therapeutic consisting of a complex of miRNA species (denoted as TA1) can effectively reset the NOD immune system from a proinflammatory to a tolerogenic state thus preventing or delaying autoimmune diabetes. Treatment of NOD mice with TA1 resulted in a systemic broad-spectrum upregulation of tolerogenic T cell subsets with a parallel downregulation of Teff subsets yielding a dramatic increase in the Treg:Teff ratio. Moreover, the murine-derived TA1 was highly effective in the inhibition of allorecognition of HLA-disparate human PBMC. TA1 demonstrated dose-responsiveness and exhibited equivalent or better inhibition of allorecognition driven proliferation than etanercept (a soluble TNF receptor). These findings demonstrate that miRNA-based therapeutics can effectively attenuate or arrest autoimmune disease processes and may be of significant utility in a broad range of autoimmune diseases including Type 1 diabetes.

Precursor frequencies of T-cells reactive to insulin in recent onset type 1 diabetes mellitus

T-cell mediated autoimmune beta-cell destruction is an important component of type 1 diabetes (T1D) and insulin is a critical antigen recognized by autoreactive T-cells. The aim of this study was to investigate the precursor frequency of insulin reactive T-cells in type 1 diabetes. We studied 19 T1D patients, 12 age-matching non-diabetic healthy siblings and 12 non-diabetic healthy parents. Limiting dilution analysis (LDA) was performed to insulin and tetanus toxoid (TT). A progressive decrease in the number of negative cultures at increasing cell concentrations that is represented by a low goodness-of-fit (GoF, low Chi-square), was seen with the TT response in all three groups; precursor frequencies and GoF were similar in patients, siblings, and parents. Reactivity to insulin, however, showed low precursor frequencies in patients and siblings and the LDA to insulin demonstrated dramatic decreases in the number of positive cultures at higher cell concentrations leading to a high GoF in patients and siblings compared to parents. This saw-toothed pattern of reactivity to insulin is indicative of multiple hit kinetics and implies that the response is regulated. Consequently the precursor frequency of insulin autoreactive cells in patients and their siblings is probably much higher than calculated.

The combined inducible nitric oxide synthase inhibitor and free radical scavenger guanidinoethyldisulfide prevents multiple low-dose streptozotocin-induced diabetes in vivo and interleukin-1beta-induced suppression of islet insulin secretion in vitro

Inhibition of inducible nitric oxide synthase has been shown to be antiinflammatory in a variety of disease states. Type I diabetes is an autoimmune disease resulting from the specific destruction of the insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells. Here we demonstrate that guanidinoethyldisulfide (GED), a combined inducible nitric oxide synthase inhibitor and peroxynitrite/reactive oxygen species scavenger reduces the hyperglycemia and incidence of type I diabetes induced in mice by multiple low-dose streptozotocin treatment. GED treatment (10 and 30 mg/kg/d) protected against the decrease in pancreatic insulin content as well as completely attenuating the increased pancreatic oxidative stress as determined by tissue levels of malondialdehyde. GED treatment also decreased neutrophil infiltration into the pancreas and reduced pancreatic levels of the chemokine MIP-1alpha and the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1 and IL-12. We hypothesize that GED exerts these latter effects by protecting beta cells from destruction reducing autoantigen release and decreasing the autoimmune response. In vitro GED treatment of isolated rat islets of Langerhans protected glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from inhibition by IL-1beta. In conclusion, inhibiting formation and/or scavenging reactive nitrogen or oxygen species with GED protects against development of diabetes in vivo and isolated pancreatic islets of Langerhans from cytokine inhibitory effects in vitro.

Inheritance of MHC Class II Genes in Lithuanian Families with Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) is caused by genetic and environmental factors. Twice as many fathers as mothers of children with type 1 DM have the disease. The reason for the differences remains unclear. We looked at the transmission rates of diabetes-related alleles from parents to children with diabetes. All children with newly diagnosed type 1 DM from August 1, 1996 to August 1, 2000, aged 0 to 15 years, in Lithuania were invited to participate. Blood samples for full genetic analysis were available from 125 families. HLA DQA1, DQB1, and DRB1 typing was done on DNA extracted from peripheral blood, by polymerase chain reaction amplification, manual dot-blotting onto nylon membranes, synthetic sequence-specific oligonucleotide probe 3'-end labeling with (32)P-dCTP, and hybridization, followed by stringency washes, autoradiography, and allele calling. Frequency of diabetes risk-related alleles DQB1*0302, DQA1*0201, DR4, and DR3 was less prevalent among Lithuanian than among Swedish children with type 1 DM. Transmission rates of DR4-DQB1*0302-DQA1*0301 and DR3-DQB1*0201-DQA1*0501 haplotypes from parents were higher than expected: chi(2) (TDT) 30.56, p < 0.0001, and chi(2) (TDT) 11.26, p = 0.0008, respectively. DQB1*0302 and DR4 were significantly more frequently transmitted from both parents, but DR3 was transmitted more frequently only from mothers. Any of these alleles had similar frequencies among female and male offspring. We conclude that, besides DR4-DQB1*0302-DQA1*0301 and DR3-DQB1*0201-DQA1*0501, there are other inherited alleles that determine risk for type 1 DM among children in Lithuania. Fathers might transfer other alleles of disease susceptibility in higher frequency or mothers might provide a protective environment during pregnancy, which results in higher risk to offspring of fathers than mothers to develop diabetes.

Molecular properties of HLA-DQ alleles conferring susceptibility to or protection from insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus: keys to the fate of islet beta-cells

The major histocompatibility complex Class II alleles, HLA-DQ, and the related HLA-DR, are the chief genetic elements of human type 1 diabetes. These genes code for polymorphic heterodimeric proteins, whose chief function is to trap peptide antigens in the endosome and present them on the surface of antigen-presenting cells (dendritic cells, B lymphocytes, monocytes/macrophages) to CD4(+) T helper cells. A systematic investigation of the molecular properties of HLA-DQ alleles linked to susceptibility or resistance to type 1 diabetes has shown that these properties segregate along lines of susceptibility or resistance. A correlation of these features with the function of each particular segment of the HLA-DQ molecule yields interesting insights into the possible pathways leading to type 1 diabetes. There remain, however, areas to be clarified, including mechanisms by which dominant protection is conferred by certain alleles, the interplay between HLA-DQ and the related locus HLA-DR, that also shows autoantigen-specific reactivity, and the cross-Class help delivered to CD8(+) T cells, the final effectors in pancreatic beta-cell destruction. Clarification of these issues may lead to ways to prevent diabetes in predisposed individuals already exhibiting the genetic and immunological characteristics, and perhaps a cure in those with the disease, by means of transplantation, and measures for prevention of disease recurrence.

DR3 is associated with type 1 diabetes and blood group ABO incompatibility

Type 1 diabetes is associated with autoimmunity against pancreatic beta cells. ABO incompatibility is associated with ABO immunization during pregnancy. Type 1 diabetes is associated with certain HLA DR and DQ haplotypes. The mechanism by which blood group incompatibility is associated with the risk of type 1 diabetes is not known. We propose that certain HLA alleles contribute to the development of both type 1 diabetes and ABO blood group incompatibility. We studied 57 children with ABO blood group incompatibility, 118 children with type 1 diabetes, and 98 age- and sex-matched unrelated healthy controls from Linköping. Typing of HLA DQA1, DQB1, and DRB1 was done on DNA extracted from peripheral blood, by PCR amplification, manual dot-blotting onto nylon membranes, synthetic sequence-specific oligonucleotide (SSO) probe 3' end-labeling with 32P-dCTP, and hybridization followed by stringency washes and autoradiography. We observed that DR3 allele was more frequent in patients with ABO incompatibility when compared to healthy controls (OR = 2.7, P(c) < 0.05). Patients with type 1 diabetes had significantly higher frequency of DR3, DQ2, DR4, and DQ8 alleles when compared to healthy controls. No significant difference was observed in frequency of DR3 between ABO blood group incompatibility and type 1 diabetes patients. We conclude that DR3 is associated with both the development of type 1 diabetes and ABO incompatibility.

Nicotine reduces the incidence of type I diabetes in mice

Nicotine has been previously shown to have immunosuppressive actions. Type I diabetes is an autoimmune disease resulting from the specific destruction of the insulin-producing pancreatic beta-cells. Thus, we hypothesized that nicotine may exert protective effects against type I diabetes. The multiple low-dose streptozotocin (MLDS)-induced model and spontaneous nonobese diabetic (NOD) mouse model of type I diabetes were used to assess whether nicotine could prevent this autoimmune disease. Blood glucose levels, diabetes incidence, pancreas insulin content, and cytokine levels were measured in both models of diabetes, both to asses the level of protection exerted by nicotine and to further investigate its mechanism of action. Nicotine treatment reduced the hyperglycemia and incidence of disease in both the MLDS and NOD mouse models of diabetes. Nicotine also protected against the diabetes-induced decrease in pancreatic insulin content observed in both animal models. The pancreatic levels of the Th1 cytokines interleukin (IL)-12, IL-1, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, and interferon (IFN)-gamma were increased in both MLDS-induced and spontaneous NOD diabetes, an effect prevented by nicotine treatment. Nicotine treatment increased the pancreatic levels of the Th2 cytokines IL-4 and IL-10. Nicotine treatment reduces the incidence of type I diabetes in two animal models by changing the profile of pancreatic cytokine expression from Th1 to Th2.