Type 1 Diabetes (T1D), affects approximately 4 million individuals worldwide, including 1.6 million Americans. T1D is caused by progressive destruction of pancreatic ? cells, resulting in a significantly diminished capacity to produce insulin. Diabetogenic CD8+ and CD4+ effector T cells that infiltrate pancreatic islets mediate ? cell destruction in an antigen-specific manner by recognizing peptide epitopes presented on class I and class II MHC molecules respectively. In contrast, regulatory T cells can suppress diabetogenic T cells, thereby preventing T1D pathogenesis. Recognition of epitopes presented by ? cells is critical for the function of these autoreactive T cells. Only a small number of self-epitopes recognized by autoreactive CD8+, CD4+ effector and regulatory T cells in T1D have been uncovered. However, the epitopes recognized by the majority of islet-infiltrating T cells are not known. The knowledge of these epitopes is critical for understanding disease pathogenesis and for developing targeted therapies. Currently, widely applicable and efficient methods for T cell antigen discovery for uncovering autoreactivity are lacking. The overarching goal of this project is to uncover the cognate epitopes of autoreactive T cells in T1D using a novel and generalizable antigen discovery technology developed by our group. In this proposal, we will employ T cell epitope discovery using Signaling and Antigen-presenting Bifunctional Receptors (SABRs) to identify the epitopes recognized by effector and regulatory T cells in a mouse model of T1D, NOD mice. We propose that constructing a library of epitopes derived from genes expressed specifically in pancreatic ? cells will lead to identification of novel targets of islet-infiltrating T cells. We will construct epitope libraries from published mass spectrometry and gene expression datasets from NOD mice. We will obtain islet-reactive TCRs by performing single cell TCR sequencing on pancreatic islets of NOD mice. Using ? cell derived SABR libraries, we will determine the cognate epitopes of islet-reactive TCRs and validate them in vitro. The epitopes identified by these studies will lead to future studies aiming to understand the breakage of immune tolerance by autoreactive T cells and to develop targeted immunotherapy approaches to combat T1D. This approach will also establish the foundation for antigen discovery for T cells from T1D patient samples in affiliation with Human Islet Research Network. 1

Public Health Relevance

Type 1 Diabetes, caused by loss of insulin producing cells in the pancreas, affects over 4 million individuals worldwide, including 1.6 million Americans. T cell arm of the immune system of Type 1 Diabetes patients attacks their own pancreatic ? cells. The basis for this abnormal targeting of a patient?s own tissue is poorly understood. This proposal will use a mouse model of Type 1 Diabetes to uncover the targets of self-reactive T cell immune response. Identifying the targets of autoimmune T cells will be essential for understanding how the immune system attacks self-tissue and for developing new therapeutic approaches to combat Type 1 Diabetes. 1

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
Type
Small Research Grants (R03)
Project #
1R03DK127447-01
Application #
10132015
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZDK1)
Program Officer
Abraham, Kristin M
Project Start
2020-09-14
Project End
2022-08-31
Budget Start
2020-09-14
Budget End
2021-08-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2020
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Pittsburgh
Department
Microbiology/Immun/Virology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
004514360
City
Pittsburgh
State
PA
Country
United States
Zip Code
15260