title: Humanizing animal models: a key to autoimmune diabetes treatment.
abstract: Preclinical evaluation of antibody-based immunotherapies for the treatment of type 1 diabetes (T1D) in animal models is often hampered by the fact that the human antibody drug does not cross-react with its mouse counterpart. In this issue of Science Translational Medicine, researchers describe a new mouse model that expresses the human isoform of a molecule targeted by T1D antibody therapies that are currently being tested in clinical trials--the human epsilon chain of the CD3 complex expressed on T cells. Anti-CD3 is capable of reducing insulin needs in individuals with recently diagnosed T1D; however, the precise underlying mechanisms of action and the minimal effective dose have been difficult to define. The new humanized mouse model will be instrumental in optimizing anti-CD3-based therapies and accelerating their clinical realization.
authors.affiliation: Diabetes Center, La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
authors.forename: Damien
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bresson
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: von Herrath
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000276:immunology*; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D051379:Mice
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D017252:CD3 Complex