Year | Reference |
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2022
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Evaluating T cell responses prior to the onset of type 1 diabetes.
Diabet Med
2022 Apr 28;39(9): e14860
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Type 1 diabetes is a heterogeneous disorder with increasing evidence suggesting that it may present as different immune phenotypes. We have previously identified immune phenotypes. in individuals at high risk of disease using T cells to distinguish proinflammatory and partially regulated immunological phenotypes. In the current study we evaluated T cell phenotypes and metabolic profiles in high-risk individuals who progressed to type 1 diabetes compared to those remaining disease free. T cell responses to a panel of islet autoantigen peptides were examined in samples obtained 6- and 30-months preceding disease onset and at the same timepoints in non-progressors. We noted a significant increase in the magnitude of the proinflammatory interferon-γ response to proinsulin and insulin peptides in individuals who progressed to type 1 diabetes. In contrast, in the non-progressors, we observed an increase in the regulatory IL-10 response to proinsulin peptides. Furthermore, the T cell responses to the islet peptide panel predisposed towards a proinflammatory interferon-γ bias in the progressors. Collectively, these data suggest that a proinflammatory T cell response is prevalent in high-risk individuals who progress to type 1 diabetes and can be detected up to 6 months prior to onset of disease. This observation, albeit in a small cohort, can potentially be harnessed in disease staging, particularly in identifying autoantibody-positive individuals transitioning from stage 2 (dysglycemia present and pre-symptomatic) to stage 3 (dysglycemia present and symptomatic). The detection of these different T cell phenotypes in progressors and non-progressors suggests the presence of disease endotypes.