BACKGROUND:Transplantation of pancreatic islets showed a tremendous progress over the years as a promising, new therapeutic strategy in patients with type 1 diabetes. However, additional immunosuppressive drug therapy is required to prevent rejection of engrafted islets. The current immunosuppressive therapies showed limited success in maintaining long-term islet survival as required to achieve insulin independence in type 1 diabetes, and they induce severe adverse effects. Herein, we analyzed the effects of a soluble peptide-major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II chimera aimed at devising an antigen-specific therapy for suppression of anti-islet T cell responses and to improve the survival of pancreatic islets transplants.METHODS:Pancreatic islets from transgenic mice expressing the hemagglutinin antigen in the beta islets under the rat insulin promoter (RIP-HA) were grafted under the kidney capsule of diabetic, double transgenic mice expressing hemagglutinin in the pancreas and T cells specific for hemagglutinin (RIP-HA, TCR-HA). The recipient double transgenic mice were treated or not with the soluble peptide-MHC II chimera, and the progression of diabetes, graft survival, and T cell responses to the grafted islets were analyzed.RESULTS:The peptide-MHC II chimera protected syngeneic pancreatic islet transplants against the islet-reactive CD4 T cells, and prolonged the survival of transplanted islets. Protection of transplanted islets occurred by polarization of antigen-specific memory CD4 T cells toward a Th2 anti-inflammatory response.CONCLUSIONS:The peptide-MHC II chimera approach is an efficient and specific therapeutic approach to suppress anti-islet T cell responses and provides a long survival of pancreatic grafted islets.

Still there are no effective methods to predict or cure type 1 diabetes (T1D) in humans. Soluble, dimeric MHC class II-peptide (DEF) chimeras have potential for both early diagnosis and immunospecific therapy. DEF chimeras prevent and reverse diabetes in mice by stimulating antigen-specific type 1 T regulatory cell (Tr1)-like cells. We also showed that diabetes could be predicted by changes in the phenotype of autoreactive CD4 T cells in peripheral blood. Herein, we demonstrated that human DEF (HLA-DR*0401/Fcgamma1) chimeras expressing peptides of beta-cell antigens stimulate Tr1-like cells in blood of patients with T1D, non-diabetic relatives, and controls. Furthermore, the specific and stable binding of DEF chimeras to cognate TCR and CD4 coreceptor allowed quantification and phenotyping of autoreactive CD4 T cells in non-stimulated blood by FACS. Our results indicate that (1) autoreactive CD4 T cells to GAD65 autoantigen are commonly present in humans expressing diabetes-susceptible HLA-DR*0401 molecules; (2) these autoreactive T cells undergo avidity maturation upon encountering the self antigen early in life; (3) the disease is associated with an imbalance between autoreactive CD4+CD25+ and CD4+CD69+ T cells specific for GAD65. Based on this, we propose a model to explain the kinetics of autoreactive CD4 T cells in blood during the natural history of T1D.

Little is known about the fate of autoreactive CD4 T cells in blood. Using a mouse model for spontaneous autoimmune diabetes we demonstrated that the status of the autoimmune process in pancreas could be pictured through the frequency and phenotype of autoreactive CD4 T cells in the blood. Early during the prediabetic stage, the frequency of these cells in blood decreased as a consequence of their recruitment in the pancreas. This was followed by an imbalance between CD4(+)CD25(+) and CD4(+)CD69(+) T cells in the pancreas that was mirrored in the phenotype of autoreactive T cells in the blood. Waves of activated CD4(+)CD69(+) T cells in blood preceded the disease onset suggesting that the autoimmune attack on pancreas is a discontinuous "hit-and-run" rather than a continuous process. Tracking autoreactive CD4 T cells in blood may help in identifying prediabetic humans and monitoring the disease progression during therapeutic interventions.

Type 1 diabetes is an organ-specific autoimmune disease that is mediated by autoreactive T cells. We show here that administration of a soluble dimeric peptide–major histocompatibility complex (pMHC) class II chimera (DEF) to prediabetic double-transgenic mice prevents the onset of disease or, in animals that are already diabetic, restores normoglycemia. The antidiabetogenic effects of DEF rely on the induction of anergy in splenic autoreactive CD4+ T cells via alteration of early T cell receptor signaling and stimulation of interleukin 10–secreting T regulatory type 1 cells in the pancreas. Soluble dimeric pMHC class II may be useful in the development of immunospecific therapies for type 1 diabetes.

Double transgenic (dTg) mice expressing the hemagglutinin (HA) of influenza virus under the insulin promoter and the TCR specific for the immunodominant CD4 T cell epitope of HA (HA110-120) develop insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). In order to gain information on the breaking down of neonatal self-tolerance we studied the occurrence of IDDM after birth. Our results showed that newborn mice develop fulminant IDDM characterized by occurrence of insulitis as early as 3 days after birth, followed by hyperglycemia by 7 days, and significant hypoinsulinemia by 28 days. The neonatal breakdown of self-tolerance of T cells positively selected in the thymus is supported by the facts that: (i) peripheral HA110-120 specific T cells from neonates are fully functional and proliferated upon stimulation with the nominal peptide, and (ii) peptide-specific T cells were accumulated in the pancreas of dTg mice as early as 3 days after birth. Our results demonstrate that diabetes occurring in young dTg mice is due to early activation of self-reactive T cells immediately after birth. Accumulation of specific T cells in the target organ leads to destruction of pancreatic beta-cells and IDDM. These mice may provide a useful model to evaluate new strategies for the prevention of diabetes.

To determine the function of VGF, a secreted polypeptide that is synthesized by neurons, is abundant in the hypothalamus, and is regulated in the brain by electrical activity, injury, and the circadian clock, we generated knockout mice lacking Vgf. Homozygous mutants are small, hypermetabolic, hyperactive, and infertile, with markedly reduced leptin levels and fat stores and altered hypothalamic proopiomelanocortin (POMC), neuropeptide Y (NPY), and agouti-related peptide (AGRP) expression. Furthermore, VGF mRNA synthesis is induced in the hypothalamic arcuate nuclei of fasted normal mice. VGF therefore plays a critical role in the regulation of energy homeostasis, suggesting that the study of lean VGF mutant mice may provide insight into wasting disorders and, moreover, that pharmacological antagonism of VGF action(s) might constitute the basis for treatment of obesity.

The decline in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in long-term diabetes in humans and animals in preceded by a period of hyperfiltration that may be responsible for it. The mediators of the increase in glomerular filtration are unknown, but recent studies suggest a prominent role for prostaglandins. To test the hypothesis that prostaglandins mediate early hyperfiltration and contribute to the progression of diabetic nephropathy, we examined the effects of long-term aspirin (ASA) treatment on whole kidney GFR and renal prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) synthesis in control and diabetic rats 8 days and 16 weeks after streptozocin administration. The rats were divided into four groups, control, control with ASA (C/ASA), diabetic, and diabetic with ASA (D/ASA). We found that 8 days after streptozocin treatment, PGE2 synthesis and GFR were increased in diabetic rats. ASA treatment inhibited renal prostaglandin synthesis and prevented the GFR increase. ASA given to control rats reduced PGE2 synthesis without changing GFR. In the 16-week study diabetic rats had lower GFR and increased renal PGE2 synthesis. Diabetic rats also had thickened glomerular basement membrane compared with control rats. By contrast GFR did not fall and thickening of the glomerular basement membrane did not occur in diabetic rats receiving ASA. ASA had no effect on GFR or glomerular basement membrane in normal rats but decreased renal PGE2 synthesis. The data demonstrate that aspirin prevents early hyperfiltration and prevents the fall in GFR and glomerular basement membrane thickening that occurs over time in diabetic rats. Inhibition of PGE2 synthesis by aspirin, or some other effect of aspirin, may be responsible for the protection observed.

AbstractNyctinastic closure of Albizzia julibrissin pinnules is inhibited by 5 × 10−2M ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. At least two hours of incubation are required for maximum inhibition and destruction of the phytochrome effect.Concentrations of 10−3 to 10−5M naphthaleneacetic acid reduced the nyctinastic closure of pinnules but not the phytochrome response. Similar results were obtained with indoleacetic acid and gibberellic acid. No appreciable differences in pinnule movements could be attributed to pH. Chelation or the inhibition of ion transport resulting in, or caused by, changes in membrane permeability are suggested as possible mechanisms involved in these effects.