Type 1 Diabetes Prevention in NOD Mice by Targeting DPPIV/CD26 Is Associated with Changes in CD8+T Effector Memory Subset

CD26 is a T cell activation marker consisting in a type II transmembrane glycoprotein with dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV) activity in its extracellular domain. It has been described that DPPIV inhibition delays the onset of type 1 diabetes and reverses the disease in non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of MK626, a DPPIV inhibitor, in type 1 diabetes incidence and in T lymphocyte subsets at central and peripheral compartments. Pre-diabetic NOD mice were treated with MK626. Diabetes incidence, insulitis score, and phenotyping of T lymphocytes in the thymus, spleen and pancreatic lymph nodes were determined after 4 and 6 weeks of treatment, as well as alterations in the expression of genes encoding β-cell autoantigens in the islets. The effect of MK626 was also assessed in two in vitro assays to determine proliferative and immunosuppressive effects. Results show that MK626 treatment reduces type 1 diabetes incidence and after 6 weeks of treatment reduces insulitis. No differences were observed in the percentage of T lymphocyte subsets from central and peripheral compartments between treated and control mice. MK626 increased the expression of CD26 in CD8⁺ T effector memory (T_EM) from spleen and pancreatic lymph nodes and in CD8⁺ T cells from islet infiltration. CD8⁺T_EM cells showed an increased proliferation rate and cytokine secretion in the presence of MK626. Moreover, the combination of CD8⁺ T_EM cells and MK626 induces an immunosuppressive response. In conclusion, treatment with the DPPIV inhibitor MK626 prevents experimental type 1 diabetes in association to increase expression of CD26 in the CD8⁺ T_EM lymphocyte subset. In vitro assays suggest an immunoregulatory role of CD8⁺ T_EM cells that may be involved in the protection against autoimmunity to β pancreatic islets associated to DPPIV inhibitor treatment.