| First Author | Wan X | Year | 2018 |
| Journal | Nature | Volume | 560 |
| Issue | 7716 | Pages | 107-111 |
| PubMed ID | 30022165 | Mgi Jnum | J:265304 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:6199096 | Doi | 10.1038/s41586-018-0341-6 |
| Citation | Wan X, et al. (2018) Pancreatic islets communicate with lymphoid tissues via exocytosis of insulin peptides. Nature 560(7716):107-111 |
| abstractText | Tissue-specific autoimmunity occurs when selected antigens presented by susceptible alleles of the major histocompatibility complex are recognized by T cells. However, the reason why certain specific self-antigens dominate the response and are indispensable for triggering autoreactivity is unclear. Spontaneous presentation of insulin is essential for initiating autoimmune type 1 diabetes in non-obese diabetic mice(1,2). A major set of pathogenic CD4 T cells specifically recognizes the 12-20 segment of the insulin B-chain (B:12-20), an epitope that is generated from direct presentation of insulin peptides by antigen-presenting cells(3,4). These T cells do not respond to antigen-presenting cells that have taken up insulin that, after processing, leads to presentation of a different segment representing a one-residue shift, B:13-21(4). CD4 T cells that recognize B:12-20 escape negative selection in the thymus and cause diabetes, whereas those that recognize B:13-21 have only a minor role in autoimmunity(3-5). Although presentation of B:12-20 is evident in the islets(3,6), insulin-specific germinal centres can be formed in various lymphoid tissues, suggesting that insulin presentation is widespread(7,8). Here we use live imaging to document the distribution of insulin recognition by CD4 T cells throughout various lymph nodes. Furthermore, we identify catabolized insulin peptide fragments containing defined pathogenic epitopes in beta-cell granules from mice and humans. Upon glucose challenge, these fragments are released into the circulation and are recognized by CD4 T cells, leading to an activation state that results in transcriptional reprogramming and enhanced diabetogenicity. Therefore, a tissue such as pancreatic islets, by releasing catabolized products, imposes a constant threat to self-tolerance. These findings reveal a self-recognition pathway underlying a primary autoantigen and provide a foundation for assessing antigenic targets that precipitate pathogenic outcomes by systemically sensitizing lymphoid tissues. |
