Identification of immunogenic epitopes of GAD 65 presented by A g7 in non-obese diabetic mice

 The autoantigen glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 (GAD 65) is believed to be an important target antigen in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), since an age-related spontaneous breakdown in tolerance is observed, and cell-mediated and autoantibody immune responses have been reported in humans and NOD mice. We sought to identify immunogenic epitopes of GAD 65 which are presented to T cells by the type I diabetes susceptibility allele (A ^g7 ), using overlapping 15-mer synthetic peptides spanning the entire sequence of this protein. Four epitopes (p206 – 220, p221 – 235, p286 – 300, p571 – 585) were identified by screening a panel of T-cell hybridomas generated from GAD 65-immunized NOD mice. These immunogenic epitopes are unrelated to the previously described T-cell epitopes of GAD 65 reported in NOD mice. Of the GAD 65 amino acid sequence, 206 – 220 and 221 – 235 are the two most dominant T-cell epitopes identified in this study. Sixty-three percent and 25% of GAD 65-responding T cell hybridomas react to p206 – 220 and p221 – 235, respectively. The remaining two peptides (p286 – 300, p571 – 585) are less dominant T-cell responses. The identification of the whole spectrum of GAD 65 A^g7 epitopes should further the investigation of the role of this autoantigen in the pathogenesis of IDDM.     

Induction of glutamic acid decarboxylase 65-specific Th2 cells and suppression of autoimmune diabetes at late stages of disease is epitope dependent.

Peptide-based immunotherapy is one strategy by which to selectively suppress the T cell-mediated destruction of beta cells and treat insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). Here, we investigated whether a panel of T cell epitopes derived from the beta cell autoantigen glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 (GAD65) differ in their capacity to induce Th2 cell function in nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice and in turn prevent overt IDDM at different preclinical stages of disease development. The panel consists of GAD65-specific peptides spanning aa 217-236 (p217), 247-265 (p247), 290-309 (p290), and 524-543 (p524). Our studies revealed that all of the peptides effectively prevented insulitis and diabetes when administered to NOD mice before the onset of insulitis. In contrast, only a mixture of p217 and p290 prevented progression of insulitis and overt IDDM in NOD mice exhibiting extensive beta cell autoimmunity. Immunization with the GAD65-specific peptides did not block IDDM development in NOD mice deficient in IL-4 expression. These findings demonstrate that GAD65-specific peptide immunotherapy effectively suppresses progression to overt IDDM, requires the production of IL-4, and is dependent on the epitope targeted and the extent of preexisting beta cell autoimmunity in the recipient.     

MHC class I-restricted determinants on the glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 molecule induce spontaneous CTL activity

CD4(+) T cell responses to glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD65) spontaneously arise in nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice before the onset of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and may be critical to the pathogenic process. However, since both CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells are involved in autoimmune diabetes, we sought to determine whether GAD65-specific CD8(+) T cells were also present in prediabetic NOD mice and contribute to IDDM. To refine the analysis, putative K(d)-binding determinants that were proximal to previously described dominant Th determinants (206-220 and 524-543) were examined for their ability to elicit cytolytic activity in young NOD mice. Naive NOD spleen cells stimulated with GAD65 peptides 206-214 (p206) and 546-554 (p546) produced IFN-gamma and showed Ag-specific CTL responses against targets pulsed with homologous peptide. Conversely, several GAD peptides distal to the Th determinants, and control K(d)-binding peptides did not induce similar responses. Spontaneous CTL responses to p206 and p546 were mediated by CD8(+) T cells that are capable of lysing GAD65-expressing target cells, and p546-specific T cells transferred insulitis to NOD.scid mice. Young NOD mice pretreated with p206 and p546 showed reduced CTL responses to homologous peptides and a delay in the onset of IDDM. Thus, MHC class I-restricted responses to GAD65 may provide an inflammatory focus for the generation of islet-specific pathogenesis and beta cell destruction. This report reveals a potential therapeutic role for MHC class I-restricted peptides in treating autoimmune disease and revisits the notion that the CD4- and CD8-inducing determinants on some molecules may benefit from a proximal relationship.     

Vaccination with Single Chain Antigen Receptors for Islet-Derived Peptides Presented on I-Ag7 Delays Diabetes in NOD Mice by Inducing Anergy in Self-Reactive T-Cells

To develop a vaccination approach for prevention of type 1 diabetes (T1D) that selectively attenuates self-reactive T-cells targeting specific autoantigens, we selected phage-displayed single chain antigen receptor libraries for clones binding to a complex of the NOD classII MHC I-A^g7 and epitopes derived from the islet autoantigen RegII. Libraries were generated from B-cell receptor repertoires of classII-mismatched mice immunized with RegII-pulsed NOD antigen presenting cells or from T-cell receptor repertoires in pancreatic lymph nodes of NOD mice. Both approaches yielded clones recognizing a RegII-derived epitope in the context of I-A^g7, which activated autoreactive CD4⁺ T-cells. A receptor with different specificity was obtained by converting the BDC2.5 TCR into single chain form. B- but not T-cells from donors vaccinated with the clones transferred protection from diabetes to NOD-SCID recipients if the specificity of the diabetes inducer cell and the single chain receptor were matched. B-cells and antibodies from donors vaccinated with the BDC2.5 single chain receptor induced a state of profound anergy in T-cells of BDC2.5 TCR transgenic NOD recipients while B-cells from donors vaccinated with a single chain receptor specific for I-A^g7 RegII peptide complexes induced only partial non-responsiveness. Vaccination of normal NOD mice with receptors recognizing I-A^g7 RegII peptide complexes or with the BDC2.5 single chain receptor delayed onset of T1D. Thus anti-idiotypic vaccination can be successfully applied to T1D with vaccines either generated from self-reactive T-cell clones or derived from antigen receptor libraries.     

Plasmid DNAs encoding insulin and glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 have distinct effects on the progression of autoimmune diabetes in nonobese diabetic mice.

We previously demonstrated that administration of plasmid DNAs (pDNAs) encoding IL-4 and a fragment of glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 (GAD65) fused to IgGFc induces GAD65-specific Th2 cells and prevents insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) in nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice. To assess the general applicability of pDNA vaccination to mediate Ag-specific immune deviation, we examined the immunotherapeutic efficacy of recombinants encoding murine insulin A and B chains fused to IgGFc. Insulin was chosen based on studies demonstrating that administration of insulin or insulin B chain by a variety of strategies prevents IDDM in NOD mice. Surprisingly, young NOD mice receiving i.m. injections of pDNA encoding insulin B chain-IgGFc with or without IL-4 exhibited an accelerated progression of insulitis and developed early diabetes. Exacerbation of IDDM correlated with an increased frequency of IFN-gamma-secreting CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells in response to insulin B chain-specific peptides compared with untreated mice. In contrast, treatment with pDNAs encoding insulin A chain-IgGFc and IL-4 elicited a low frequency of IL-4-secreting Th cells and had no effect on the progression of IDDM. Vaccination with pDNAs encoding GAD65-IgGFc and IL-4, however, prevented IDDM. These results demonstrate that insulin- and GAD65-specific T cell reactivity induced by pDNA vaccination has distinct effects on the progression of IDDM.     

A peptide binding motif for I-Eg7, the MHC class II molecule that protects E alpha-transgenic nonobese diabetic mice from autoimmune diabetes.

The nonobese diabetic (NOD) mouse, a model of spontaneous insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), fails to express surface MHC class II I-Eg7 molecules due to a deletion in the E alpha gene promoter. E alpha-transgenic NOD mice express the E alpha E beta g7 dimer and fail to develop either insulitis or IDDM. A number of hypotheses have been proposed to explain the mechanisms of protection, most of which require peptide binding to I-Eg7. To define the requirements for peptide binding to I-Eg7, we first identified an I-Eg7-restricted T cell epitope corresponding to the sequence 4-13 of Mycobacterium tuberculosis 65-kDa heat shock protein (hsp). Single amino acid substitutions at individual positions revealed a motif for peptide binding to I-Eg7 characterized by two primary anchors at relative position (p) 1 and 4, and two secondary anchors at p6 and p9. This motif is present in eight of nine hsp peptides that bind to I-Eg7 with high affinity. The I-Eg7 binding motif displays a unique p4 anchor compared with the other known I-E motifs, and major differences are found between I-Eg7 and I-Ag7 binding motifs. Analysis of peptide binding to I-Eg7 and I-Ag7 molecules as well as proliferative responses of draining lymph node cells from hsp-primed NOD and E alpha-transgenic NOD mice to overlapping hsp peptides revealed that the two MHC molecules bind different peptides. Of 80 hsp peptides tested, none bind with high affinity to both MHC molecules, arguing against some of the mechanisms hypothesized to explain protection from IDDM in E alpha-transgenic NOD mice.     

A glutamic acid decarboxylase 65-specific Th2 cell clone immunoregulates autoimmune diabetes in nonobese diabetic mice

Several studies have provided indirect evidence in support of a role for beta cell-specific Th2 cells in regulating insulin-dependent diabetes (IDDM). Whether a homogeneous population of Th2 cells having a defined beta cell Ag specificity can prevent or suppress autoimmune diabetes is still unclear. In fact, recent studies have demonstrated that beta cell-specific Th2 cell clones can induce IDDM. In this study we have established Th cell clones specific for glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 (GAD65), a known beta cell autoantigen, from young unimmunized nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice. Adoptive transfer of a GAD65-specific Th2 cell clone (characterized by the secretion of IL-4, IL-5, and IL-10, but not IFN-gamma or TGF-beta) into 2- or 12-wk-old NOD female recipients prevented the progression of insulitis and subsequent development of overt IDDM. This prevention was marked by the establishment of a Th2-like cytokine profile in response to a panel of beta cell autoantigens in cultures established from the spleen and pancreatic lymph nodes of recipient mice. The immunoregulatory function of a given Th cell clone was dependent on the relative levels of IFN-gamma vs IL-4 and IL-10 secreted. These results provide direct evidence that beta cell-specific Th2 cells can indeed prevent and suppress autoimmune diabetes in NOD mice.     

Therapeutic alteration of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus progression by T cell tolerance to glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 peptides in vitro and in vivo.

We have reported previously that nonobese diabetic (NOD) fetal pancreas organ cultures lose the ability to produce insulin when maintained in contact with NOD fetal thymus organ cultures (FTOC). Initial studies indicated that exposure to glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD65) peptides in utero resulted in delay or transient protection from insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) in NOD mice. We also found that exposure of young adult NOD mice to the same peptides could result in acceleration of the disease. To more closely examine the effects of early and late exposure to diabetogenic Ags on T cells, we applied peptides derived from GAD65 (GAD AA 246-266, 509-528, and 524-543), to our "in vitro IDDM" (ivIDDM) model. T cells derived from NOD FTOC primed during the latter stages of organ culture, when mature T cell phenotypes are present, had the ability to proliferate to GAD peptides. ivIDDM was exacerbated under these conditions, suggesting that GAD responsiveness correlates with the ivIDDM phenotype, and parallels the acceleration of IDDM we had seen in young adult NOD mice. When GAD peptides were present during the initiation of FTOC, GAD proliferative responses were inhibited, and ivIDDM was reduced. This result suggests that tolerance to GAD peptides may reduce the production of diabetogenic T cells or their capacity to respond, as suggested by the in utero therapies studied in NOD mice.     

Antigen-specific mediated suppression of beta cell autoimmunity by plasmid DNA vaccination

In this study, we have investigated the use of plasmid DNA (pDNA) vaccination to elicit Th2 effector cell function in an Ag-specific manner and in turn prevent insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) in nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice. pDNA recombinants were engineered encoding a secreted fusion protein consisting of a fragment of glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 (GAD65) linked to IgGFc, and IL-4. Intramuscular injection of pDNA encoding GAD65-IgGFc and IL-4 effectively prevented diabetes in NOD mice treated at early or late preclinical stages of IDDM. This protection was GAD65-specific since NOD mice immunized with pDNA encoding hen egg lysozyme-IgGFc and IL-4 continued to develop diabetes. Furthermore, disease prevention correlated with suppression of insulitis and induction of GAD65-specific regulatory Th2 cells. Importantly, GAD65-specific immune deviation was dependent on pDNA-encoded IL-4. In fact, GAD65-specific Th1 cell reactivity was significantly enhanced in animals immunized with pDNA encoding only GAD65-IgGFc. Finally, NOD.IL4(null) mice treated with pDNA encoding GAD65-IgGFc and IL-4 continued to develop diabetes, indicating that endogenous IL-4 was also required for disease prevention. These results demonstrate that pDNA vaccination is an effective strategy to elicit beta cell-specific Th2 regulatory cell function for the purpose of preventing IDDM even at a late stage of disease development.     

Tyrosinase epitope recognized by an HLA-DR-restricted T-cell line from a Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease patient

 Human T-cell-mediated autoimmune diseases are often genetically linked to particular alleles of HLA class II genes. Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada’s (VKH) disease, which is regarded as an autoimmune disorder in multiple organs containing melanocytes, has been found to be associated with HLA-DR4 (DRB1^*0405) and HLA-DR53 (DRB4^*0101). Tyrosinase is a melanoma antigen (Ag) expressed by normal melanocytes as well as melanoma cells against which responses by autologous T cells have been detected. We established a T-cell line from the peripheral blood of a patient with VKH disease which responded to synthetic peptides corresponding to tyrosinase. The T-cell line was generated which recognized the tyrosinase p188 – 208 peptide when presented by the HLA-DR4 (DRB1^*0405) molecule on the surface of HLA class II-expressing L-cell transfectants. The minimal antigenic peptide which induced T-cell responses was an 11-amino-acid sequence and located at tyrosinase p193 – 203 (E-I-W-R-D-I-D-F-A-H-E). This peptide contained the DRB1^*0405-binding peptide motif (hydrophobic residues (Y, F, W) at position 1 as an anchor residue, and negatively charged residues (D, E) at position 9), which corresponded to the W at p195 and the D at p203. These observations demonstrate that tyrosinase peptides are immunogenic, and may be a candidate for an autoantigen in VKH disease, suggesting that probing the T-cell responses against synthetic peptides is a productive approach for identifying the autoantigenic peptides associated with autoimmune diseases including VKH disease. Received: 22 August 1997 / Revised: 7 October 1997     

Genetic markers for glutamic acid decarboxylase do not predict insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in pairs of affected siblings

Reliable genetic and immunological markers are important in the prediction of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). Since glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) is a candidate primary autoantigen, we examined the possible linkage between IDDM and the genes encoding GAD₆₅ (GAD2, 10p11–12) and GAD₆₇ (GAD1, 2q31) in 58 Danish IDDM affected sib pairs. The allelic inheritance of 10 polymorphic dinucleotide repeat sequences spanning the chromosomal regions of the two GAD genes, were examined by affected sib pair analysis (ASP). In addition a restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) was identified in the gene encoding GAD₆₅ using the restriction enzyme PvuII. The GAD gene markers were analyzed in relation to the presence of specific HLA types and GAD autoantibodies. No evidence of linkage was found between IDDM and either of the genes encoding GAD. This was also the case when subgroups carrying specific HLA susceptibility alleles were analyzed. Nor did we observe any association between these GAD genetic markers and the presence of GAD autoantibodies. Considering the high prevalence of GAD autoantibodies in IDDM, a putative genetic association between GAD and IDDM would be expected to affect most diabetic individuals. Therefore, our data indicate that the association between GAD and IDDM is not genetically determined, and that microsatellites used in this study do not contribute to the prediction of IDDM. Received: 1 July 1996 / Revised: 21 August 1996     

Active tolerance induction and prevention of autoimmune diabetes by immunogene therapy using recombinant adenoassociated virus expressing glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 peptide GAD(500-585)

Tolerance induction of autoreactive T cells against pancreatic beta cell-specific autoantigens such as glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 (GAD65) and insulin has been attempted as a method to prevent autoimmune diabetes. In this study, we investigate whether adenoassociated virus (AAV) gene delivery of multiple immunodominant epitopes expressing GAD(500-585) could induce potent immune tolerance and persistently suppress autoimmune diabetes in NOD mice. A single muscle injection of 7-wk-old female NOD mice with rAAV/GAD(500-585) (3 x 10(11) IU/mouse) quantitatively reduced pancreatic insulitis and efficiently prevented the development of overt type I diabetes. This prevention was marked by the inactivation of GAD(500-585)-responsive T lymphocytes, the enhanced GAD(500-585)-specific Th2 response (characterized by increased IL-4, IL-10 production, and decreased IFN-gamma production; especially elevated anti-GAD(500-585) IgG1 titer; and relatively unchanged anti-GAD(500-585) IgG2b titer), the increased secretion of TGF-beta, and the production of protective regulatory cells. Our studies also revealed that peptides 509-528, 570-585, and 554-546 in the region of GAD(500-585) played important roles in rAAV/GAD(500-585) immunization-induced immune tolerance. These data indicate that using AAV, a vector with advantage for therapeutic gene delivery, to transfer autoantigen peptide GAD(500-585), can induce immunological tolerance through active suppression of effector T cells and prevent type I diabetes in NOD mice.     

Similar peptides from two beta cell autoantigens, proinsulin and glutamic acid decarboxylase, stimulate T cells of individuals at risk for insulin-dependent diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Insulin (1) and glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) (2) are both autoantigens in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), but no molecular mechanism has been proposed for their association. We have identified a 13 amino acid peptide of proinsulin (amino acids 24-36) that bears marked similarity to a peptide of GAD65 (amino acids 506-518) (G. Rudy, unpublished). In order to test the hypothesis that this region of similarity is implicated in the pathogenesis of IDDM, we assayed T cell reactivity to these two peptides in subjects at risk for IDDM. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Subjects at risk for IDDM were islet cell antibody (ICA)-positive, first degree relatives of people with insulin-dependent diabetes. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 10 pairs of at-risk and HLA-DR matched control subjects were tested in an in vitro proliferation assay. RESULTS: Reactivity to both proinsulin and GAD peptides was significantly greater among at-risk subjects than controls (proinsulin; p < 0.008; GAD; p < 0.018). In contrast to reactivity to the GAD peptide, reactivity to the proinsulin peptide was almost entirely confined to the at-risk subjects. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first demonstration of T cell reactivity to a proinsulin-specific peptide. In addition, it is the first example of reactivity to a minimal peptide region shared between two human autoimmune disease-associated self antigens. Mimicry between these similar peptides may provide a molecular basis for the conjoint autoantigenicity of proinsulin and GAD in IDDM.     

Glutamate decarboxylase and GABA in pancreatic islets: lessons from knock-out mice.

The GABA-synthesizing enzyme glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) is expressed in pancreatic beta-cells and GABA has been suggested to play a role in islet cell development and function. Mouse beta-cells predominantly express the larger isoform of the enzyme, GAD67, and very low levels of the second isoform, GAD65. Yet GAD65 has been shown to be a target of very early autoimmune T-cell responses associated with beta-cell destruction in the non-obese diabetic (NOD) mouse model of Type 1 diabetes. Mice deficient in GAD67, GAD65 or both were used to assess whether GABA is important for islet cell development, and whether GAD65 is required for initiation of insulitis and progression to Type 1 diabetes in the mouse. Lack of either GAD65 or GAD67 did not effect the development of islet cells and the general morphology of islets. When GAD65-/-(129/Sv) mice were backcrossed into the NOD strain for four generations, GAD65-deficient mice developed insulitis similar to GAD65+/+ mice. Furthermore, at the low penetrance of diabetes in this backcross, GAD65-deficient mice developed disease at the same rate and incidence as wildtype mice. The results suggest that GABA generated by either GAD65 or GAD67 is not critically involved in islet formation and that GAD65 expression is not an absolute requirement for development of autoimmune diabetes in the NOD mouse.     

Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase-Derived Epitopes with Specific Domains Expand CD4+CD25+ Regulatory T Cells

Background

CD4⁺CD25⁺ regulatory T cell (Treg)-based immunotherapy is considered a promising regimen for controlling the progression of autoimmune diabetes. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the therapeutic effects of Tregs in response to the antigenic epitope stimulation depend on the structural properties of the epitopes used.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Splenic lymphocytes from nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice were stimulated with different glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD)-derived epitopes for 7–10 days and the frequency and function of Tregs was analyzed. We found that, although all expanded Tregs showed suppressive functions in vitro, only p524 (GAD524–538)-expanded CD4⁺CD25⁺ T cells inhibited diabetes development in the co-transfer models, while p509 (GAD509–528)- or p530 (GAD530–543)-expanded CD4⁺CD25⁺ T cells had no such effects. Using computer-guided molecular modeling and docking methods, the differences in structural characteristics of these epitopes and the interaction mode (including binding energy and identified domains in the epitopes) between the above-mentioned epitopes and MHC class II I-A^g7 were analyzed. The theoretical results showed that the epitope p524, which induced protective Tregs, possessed negative surface-electrostatic potential and bound two chains of MHC class II I-A^g7, while the epitopes p509 and p530 which had no such ability exhibited positive surface-electrostatic potential and bound one chain of I-A^g7. Furthermore, p524 bound to I-A^g7 more stably than p509 and p530. Of importance, we hypothesized and subsequently confirmed experimentally that the epitope (GAD570–585, p570), which displayed similar characteristics to p524, was a protective epitope by showing that p570-expanded CD4⁺CD25⁺ T cells suppressed the onset of diabetes in NOD mice.

Conclusions/Significance

These data suggest that molecular modeling-based structural analysis of epitopes may be an instrumental tool for prediction of protective epitopes to expand functional Tregs.     

Combined insulin B:9-23 self-peptide and polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid accelerate insulitis but inhibit development of diabetes by increasing the proportion of CD4+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells in the islets in non-obese diabetic mice

Insulin peptide B:9-23 is a major autoantigen in type 1 diabetes. Combined treatment with B:9-23 peptide and polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly I:C), but neither alone, induce insulitis in normal BALB/c mice. In contrast, the combined treatment accelerated insulitis, but prevented diabetes in NOD mice. Our immunofluorescence study with anti-CD4/anti-Foxp3 revealed that the proportion of Foxp3 positive CD4⁺CD25⁺ regulatory T cells (Tregs) was elevated in the islets of NOD mice treated with B:9-23 peptide and poly I:C, as compared to non-treated mice. Depletion of Tregs by anti-CD25 antibody hastened spontaneous development of diabetes in non-treated NOD mice, and abolished the protective effect of the combined treatment and conversely accelerated the onset of diabetes in the treated mice. These results indicate that poly I:C combined with B:9-23 peptide promotes infiltration of both pathogenic T cells and predominantly Tregs into the islets, thereby inhibiting progression from insulitis to overt diabetes in NOD mice.     

CD8+ T cell recognition of polymorphic wild-type sequence p5365–73 peptides in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck

The TP53 tumor suppressor gene contains a well-studied polymorphism that encodes either proline (P) or arginine (R) at codon 72, and over half of the world’s population is homozygous for R at this codon. The wild-type sequence (wt) p53 peptide, p53_65–73, has been identified as a CD8+ T cell-defined tumor antigen for use in broadly applicable cancer vaccines. However, depending on the TP53 codon 72 polymorphism of the recipient, the induced responses to the peptides incorporating R (p53_72R) or P (p53_72P) can be “self” or “non-self.” Thus, we sought to determine which wt p53_65–73 peptide should be used in wt p53-based cancer vaccines. Despite similar predicted HLA-A2-binding affinities, the p53_72P peptide was more efficient than the p53_72R peptide in HLA-A2 stabilization assays. In vitro stimulation (IVS) of CD8+ T cells obtained from healthy HLA-A2⁺ donors with these two peptides led to the generation of CD8+ T cell effectors in one-third of the samples tested, at a frequency similar to the responsiveness to other wt p53 peptides. Interestingly, regardless of their p53 codon 72 genotype, CD8+ T cells stimulated with either p53_72P or p53_72R peptide were cross-reactive against T2 cells pulsed with either peptide, as well as HLA-A2⁺ head and neck cancer (HNC) cell lines presenting p53_72P and/or p53_72R peptides for T cell recognition. Therefore, the cross-reactivity of CD8+ T cells for the polymorphic wt p53_65–73 peptides, irrespective of their p53 codon 72 polymorphism, suggests that employing either peptide in wt p53-based vaccines can result in efficient targeting of this epitope.     

Glucose intolerance and diabetes following antigen-specific insulitis in diabetes-susceptible “humanized” transgenic mice

The genetic contribution of antigen-presenting molecules and the environmental ignition of an antigen-specific immune attack to pancreatic β-cells define autoimmune diabetes. We focused here on generating an antigen-specific model of autoimmune diabetes in humanized double-transgenic mice carrying antigen-presenting HLA-DQ8 diabetes-linked haplotype and expressing human autoantigen GAD65 in pancreatic β-cells using a relatively diabetes-susceptible strain of mice. Double transgenic (DQ8-GAD65) mice and controls were immunized with cDNA encoding human GAD65 in adenoviral vectors and monitored for glucose intolerance and diabetes. Human-GAD65 immunization induced insulitis, glucose intolerance and diabetes in double-transgenic mice, while controls were insulitis free and glucose tolerant. Glucose intolerance 10 weeks post-immunization was followed by diabetes later on in most animals. Destructive insulitis characterized by inflammation and apoptosis correlated with the diabetes outcome. Humoral immune responses to hGAD65 were sustained in mice with diabetes while transient in non-responders. Insulitis was massive in mice with diabetes while mild in non-responders by the end of the study. Our results show for the first time the occurrence of antigen-specific induced insulitis, impaired glucose homeostasis and diabetes after immunization with a clinically relevant, human autoantigen in the context of HLA-DQ8 diabetes-susceptibility transgenes and human GAD65 expression in β-cells. This animal model will facilitate studies of mechanisms of disease involved in development of autoimmunity to GAD65 in the context of HLA-DQ8. Furthermore, this model would be ideal for testing therapeutic strategies aimed at preventing human β-cell loss and/or restoring function in the setting of autoimmune diabetes.     

Oral Administration of Silkworm-Produced GAD65 and Insulin Bi-Autoantigens against Type 1 Diabetes

Induction of mucosal tolerance by oral administration of protein antigens is a potential therapeutic strategy for preventing and treating type 1 diabetes (T1D); however, the requirement for a large dosage of protein limits clinical applications because of the low efficacy. In this study, we generated a fusion protein CTB-Ins-GAD composed of CTB (cholera toxin B subunit), insulin, and three copies of GAD65 peptide 531–545, which were efficiently produced in silkworm pupae, to evaluate its protective effect against T1D. We demonstrate that oral administration of CTB-Ins-GAD suppressed T1D by up to 78%, which is much more effective than GAD65 single-antigen treatment. Strikingly, CTB-Ins-GAD enhance insulin- and GAD65-specific Th2-like immune responses, which repairs the Th1/Th2 imbalance and increases the number of CD4⁺CD25⁺Foxp3⁺ T cell and suppresses insulin- and GAD65-reactive spleen T lymphocyte proliferation and migration. Our results strongly suggest that the combined dual antigens promote the induction of oral tolerance, thus providing an effective and economic immunotherapy against T1D in combination with a silkworm bioreactor.