The insulin gene in type 1 diabetes.
Insulin is a key autoantigen in the autoimmune process leading to the development of type 1 diabetes. Recent studies in both humans and mice have shown that variation in the expression of the insulin gene, in the thymus rather than the pancreas, contributes to disease susceptibility by affecting self-tolerance to insulin. These findings have brought about a paradigm-shift in our understanding of self-tolerance and autoimmunity to molecules with tissue-restricted expression, which are often the target of autoimmune disease.
Pugliese
Alberto
A
Immunogenetics Program, Diabetes Research Institute, Miller School of Medecine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida 33136, USA. apuglies@med.miami.edu
D000818:Animals; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000235:genetics*; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000502:physiology
D007328:Insulin