Type IA or insulin dependent diabetes (T1D) is caused by an autoimmune process that destroys insulin-producing ? cells in the pancreatic islets. Although T lymphocytes are known to mediate T1D, success with B cell directed therapy in T1D and other T cell-mediated disorders has led to the recognition that B cells are more important in these diseases than previously thought. Research in this laboratory is focused on function of B lymphocytes that recognize the key ? cell autoantigen, insulin. Using NOD mice, transgenes from an insulin autoantibody were discovered to fully support the development of T1D while non-insulin binding Ig- transgenes do not. Encounters between circulating insulin and developing anti-insulin B lymphocytes initiates a state of immune tolerance in which the autoreactive B cells remain in the repertoire and present critical epitopes to pathogenic T cells. A specific antibody that specifically targets insulin-binding B cells blocks the progression of T1D in NOD mice. Tracking anti-insulin B cells in a polyclonal repertoire reveals flaws in central tolerance in the bone marrow that is responsible for seeding pathogenic B cells into the repertoire. These findings reveal that B lymphocytes make previously unappreciated contributions the pathogenesis of T1D and suggest a hypothesis that these properties can be exploited to discover new targets for intervention in T1D. This hypothesis will be test in three specific aims. First, anti-insulin B cells that present critical ? cell epitopes will be used as a source of diabetogenic MHCII molecules on which mass spectrometry will be used to identify actual ? cell epitopes presented by B lymphocytes. Second, autoantigen specific B lymphocytes will be tested as a different type of target for T1D prevention and as a co-therapy to assist in reversal of diabetes in NOD. Third, the mechanisms of central tolerance that fail in NOD will be identified and repaired using genetic and antibody mediated approaches. Combined these studies will make new discoveries in the NOD mouse model that can be rapidly translated for use in human T1D.

Public Health Relevance

This project is directly relevant to improving the diagnosis and treatment of human type 1 diabetes. A strategy is developed using B lymphocytes that will expedite the identification of T cell epitopes on ? cell autoantigens. A new target for interventio in T1D, ? cell-specific B lymphocytes, has been identified and will be tested for the reversal of disease after the onset of diabetes. Finally, an underlying mechanism of tolerance that fails and leads to the seeding of autoreactive B cells in T1D is investigated as a new means to prevent the disorder.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
2R01AI051448-10
Application #
8447677
Study Section
Hypersensitivity, Autoimmune, and Immune-mediated Diseases Study Section (HAI)
Program Officer
Bourcier, Katarzyna
Project Start
2002-04-01
Project End
2017-11-30
Budget Start
2012-12-01
Budget End
2013-11-30
Support Year
10
Fiscal Year
2013
Total Cost
$366,600
Indirect Cost
$131,600
Name
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Department
Internal Medicine/Medicine
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
004413456
City
Nashville
State
TN
Country
United States
Zip Code
37212
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Cho, Sung Hoon; Raybuck, Ariel L; Stengel, Kristy et al. (2016) Germinal centre hypoxia and regulation of antibody qualities by a hypoxia response system. Nature 537:234-238
Wan, Xiaoxiao; Thomas, James W; Unanue, Emil R (2016) Class-switched anti-insulin antibodies originate from unconventional antigen presentation in multiple lymphoid sites. J Exp Med 213:967-78
Packard, Thomas A; Smith, Mia J; Conrad, Francis J et al. (2016) B Cell Receptor Affinity for Insulin Dictates Autoantigen Acquisition and B Cell Functionality in Autoimmune Diabetes. J Clin Med 5:
Bonami, Rachel H; Thomas, James W (2015) Targeting Anti-Insulin B Cell Receptors Improves Receptor Editing in Type 1 Diabetes-Prone Mice. J Immunol 195:4730-41
Williams, Jonathan M; Bonami, Rachel H; Hulbert, Chrys et al. (2015) Reversing Tolerance in Isotype Switch-Competent Anti-Insulin B Lymphocytes. J Immunol 195:853-64
Bonami, Rachel H; Wolfle, William T; Thomas, James W et al. (2014) NFATc2 (NFAT1) assists BCR-mediated anergy in anti-insulin B cells. Mol Immunol 62:321-8
Kendall, Peggy L; Case, James B; Sullivan, Allison M et al. (2013) Tolerant anti-insulin B cells are effective APCs. J Immunol 190:2519-26
Henry-Bonami, Rachel A; Williams, Jonathan M; Rachakonda, Amita B et al. (2013) B lymphocyte ""original sin"" in the bone marrow enhances islet autoreactivity in type 1 diabetes-prone nonobese diabetic mice. J Immunol 190:5992-6003
Cho, Sung Hoon; Raybuck, Ariel; Wei, Mei et al. (2013) B cell-intrinsic and -extrinsic regulation of antibody responses by PARP14, an intracellular (ADP-ribosyl)transferase. J Immunol 191:3169-78

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