Ren X, Amarajeewa AWP, Jayasinghe MDT, Garstka MA. Differences in F pocket impact on HLA I genetic associations with autoimmune diabetes.
Front Immunol 2024;
15:1342335. [PMID:
38596688 PMCID:
PMC11003304 DOI:
10.3389/fimmu.2024.1342335]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction
Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) I molecules present antigenic peptides to activate CD8+ T cells. Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) is an auto-immune disease caused by aberrant activation of the CD8+ T cells that destroy insulin-producing pancreatic β cells. Some HLA I alleles were shown to increase the risk of T1D (T1D-predisposing alleles), while some reduce this risk (T1D-protective alleles).
Methods
Here, we compared the T1D-predisposing and T1D-protective allotypes concerning peptide binding, maturation, localization and surface expression and correlated it with their sequences and energetic profiles using experimental and computational methods.
Results
T1D-predisposing allotypes had more peptide-bound forms and higher plasma membrane levels than T1D-protective allotypes. This was related to the fact that position 116 within the F pocket was more conserved and made more optimal contacts with the neighboring residues in T1D-predisposing allotypes than in protective allotypes.
Conclusion
Our work uncovers that specific polymorphisms in HLA I molecules potentially influence their susceptibility to T1D.
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