title: Recognition of heat shock protein 60 epitopes in children with type 1 diabetes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Treatment with a specific HSP60 epitope in new onset of type 1 diabetes (T1D) patients has been shown to preserve endogenous insulin production. Previously, recognition of pan HLA-DR-binding HSP60 epitopes in various autoimmune diseases was found; this study investigated recognition of these epitopes in newly diagnosed T1D patients and correlated findings to the occurrence of a partial remission.
  
  
  METHODS
  Peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 18 children with T1D were prospectively collected at disease onset and a few months after diagnosis. Epitope-specific T-cell proliferation and cytokine production (intracellular and in culture supernatants) were measured. Results were compared with 31 longstanding T1D patients and ten healthy controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although HSP60 epitope-specific T-cell proliferative responses were detected, overall proliferative responses were low. At onset, epitope-specific intracellular IFN-γ production was higher in T1D patients compared with healthy controls (p < 0.05). At follow-up, both IL-10 and IFN-γ production were higher in those without a partial remission than in those with a partial remission (both p < 0.05). Also, IL-10 and IFN-γ production were higher compared with onset for patients without a PR (both p < 0.01). In supernatants of HSP60 epitope-specific T-cell cultures, no substantial differences in cytokine production were found between T1D patients with and without a partial remission, either at onset or a few months after onset. As patient numbers were small, results should be interpreted with caution.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pan-DR-binding HSP60 peptides induced low peptide-specific proliferative responses and peptide-specific production of some, mainly intracellular, cytokines in T1D patients. Recognition did not differ significantly between patient groups and various time points.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Endocrinology, University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands. a.a.verrijnstuart@umcutrecht.nl
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Verrijn Stuart
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: de Jager
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Teklenburg
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nuboer
authors.forename: J J G
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Hoorweg
authors.forename: M A M J
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: de Vroede
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: de Kruijff
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fick
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Schroor
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: van der Vlist
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Meerding
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kamphuis
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Prakken
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D018834:Chaperonin 60 / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000276:immunology*; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008297:Male; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018834:Chaperonin 60; D016207:Cytokines; D000939:Epitopes; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D016753:Interleukin-10; D007371:Interferon-gamma