CD4(+) T cells from glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD)65-specific T cell receptor transgenic mice are not diabetogenic and can delay diabetes transfer.
Glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD)65 is an early and important antigen in both human diabetes mellitus and the nonobese diabetic (NOD) mouse. However, the exact role of GAD65-specific T cells in diabetes pathogenesis is unclear. T cell responses to GAD65 occur early in diabetes pathogenesis, yet only one GAD65-specific T cell clone of many identified can transfer diabetes. We have generated transgenic mice on the NOD background expressing a T cell receptor (TCR)-specific for peptide epitope 286-300 (p286) of GAD65. These mice have GAD65-specific CD4(+) T cells, as shown by staining with an I-A(g7)(p286) tetramer reagent. Lymphocytes from these TCR transgenic mice proliferate and make interferon gamma, interleukin (IL)-2, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, and IL-10 when stimulated in vitro with GAD65 peptide 286-300, yet these TCR transgenic animals do not spontaneously develop diabetes, and insulitis is virtually undetectable. Furthermore, in vitro activated CD4 T cells from GAD 286 TCR transgenic mice express higher levels of CTL-associated antigen (CTLA)-4 than nontransgenic littermates. CD4(+) T cells, or p286-tetramer(+)CD4(+) Tcells, from GAD65 286-300-specific TCR transgenic mice delay diabetes induced in NOD.scid mice by diabetic NOD spleen cells. This data suggests that GAD65 peptide 286-300-specific T cells have disease protective capacity and are not pathogenic.
Program in Immunology, Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
Kristin V
KV
Tarbell
Mark
M
Lee
Erik
E
Ranheim
Cheng Chi
CC
Chao
Maija
M
Sanna
Seon-Kyeong
SK
Kim
Peter
P
Dickie
Luc
L
Teyton
Mark
M
Davis
Hugh
H
McDevitt
D000069594:Abatacept; D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D060908:CTLA-4 Antigen; D002455:Cell Division; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000276:immunology*; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology; D015870:Gene Expression; D005968:Glutamate Decarboxylase / Q000276:immunology*; D018796:Immunoconjugates; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D016688:Mice, Inbred NOD; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D010455:Peptides / Q000276:immunology; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2
D015703:Antigens, CD; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D060908:CTLA-4 Antigen; C556706:CTLA4 protein, human; C556707:Ctla4 protein, mouse; D016207:Cytokines; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D018796:Immunoconjugates; D007527:Isoenzymes; D010455:Peptides; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D000069594:Abatacept; D005968:Glutamate Decarboxylase; C401141:glutamate decarboxylase 2