Increasing evidence suggests that type 1 interferon (IFN-α/β) is associated with pathogenesis of Th1-mediated type 1 diabetes (T1D). A major source of IFNα/β is plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs). In this study, we analyzed peripheral blood pDC numbers and functions in at-risk, new onset and established T1D patients and controls. We found that subjects at risk for T1D, new onset and established T1D subjects possessed significantly increased pDCs but similar number of myeloid DCs (mDCs) when compared with controls. pDC numbers were not affected by age in T1D subjects but declined with increasing age in control subjects. It was demonstrated that IFN-α production by PBMCs stimulated with influenza viruses was significantly higher in T1D subjects than in controls, and IFN-α production was correlated with pDC numbers in PBMCs. Of interest, only T1D-associated Coxsackie virus serotype B4 but not B3 induced majority of T1D PBMCs to produce IFN-α which was confirmed to be secreted by pDCs. Finally, in vitro studies demonstrated IFN-α produced by pDCs augmented Th1 responses, with significantly greater IFN-γ-producing CD4+ T cells from T1D subjects. These findings indicate that increased pDCs and their IFN-α/β production may be associated with this Th1-mediated autoimmune disease, especially under certain viral infections linked to T1D pathogenesis.

T lymphocytes constitute a major effector cell population in autoimmune type 1 diabetes. Despite essential functions of mitochondria in regulating activation, proliferation, and apoptosis of T cells, little is known regarding T cell metabolism in the progression of human type 1 diabetes. In this study, we report, using two independent cohorts, that T cells from patients with type 1 diabetes exhibited mitochondrial inner-membrane hyperpolarization (MHP). Increased MHP was a general phenotype observed in T cell subsets irrespective of prior antigen exposure, and was not correlated with HbA1C levels, subject age, or duration of diabetes. Elevated T cell MHP was not detected in subjects with type 2 diabetes. T cell MHP was associated with increased activation-induced IFNγ production, and activation-induced IFNγ was linked to mitochondria-specific ROS production. T cells from subjects with type 1 diabetes also exhibited lower intracellular ATP levels. In conclusion, intrinsic mitochondrial dysfunction observed in type 1 diabetes alters mitochondrial ATP and IFNγ production; the latter is correlated with ROS generation. These changes impact T cell bioenergetics and function.

BackgroundATG has been employed to deplete T cells in several immune-mediated conditions. However, whether ATG administration affects naïve and memory T cell differently is largely unknown.The context and purpose of the studyIn this study, we assessed how murine ATG therapy affected T cell subsets in NOD mice, based on their regulatory and naïve or memory phenotype, as well as its influence on antigen-specific immune responses.ResultsPeripheral blood CD4+ and CD8+ T cells post-ATG therapy declined to their lowest levels at day 3, while CD4+ T cells returned to normal levels more rapidly than CD8+ T cells. ATG therapy failed to eliminate antigen-primed T cells. CD4+ T cell responses post-ATG therapy skewed to T helper type 2 (Th2) and possibly IL-10-producing T regulatory type 1 (Tr1) cells. Intriguingly, Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) were less sensitive to ATG depletion and remained at higher levels following in vivo recovery compared to controls. Of note, the frequency of Foxp3+ Tregs with memory T cell phenotype was significantly increased in ATG-treated animals.ConclusionATG therapy may modulate antigen-specific immune responses through inducing memory-like regulatory T cells as well as other protective T cells such as Th2 and IL-10-producing Tr1 cells.

The solution structure of a 14 base-pair non-self complementary DNA duplex containing the consensus-binding site of the yeast transcription factor Mbp1 has been determined by NMR using a combination of scalar coupling analysis, time-dependent NOEs, residual dipolar couplings and 13C-edited NMR spectroscopy of a duplex prepared with one strand uniformly labeled with 13C-nucleotides. As expected, the free DNA duplex is within the B-family of structures, and within experimental limits is straight. However, there are clear local structural variations associated with the consensus CGCG element in the binding sequence that are important for sequence recognition. In the complex, the DNA bends around the protein, which also undergoes some conformational rearrangement in the C-terminal region. Structural constraints derived from paramagnetic perturbation experiments with spin-labeled DNA, chemical shift perturbation experiments of the DNA, previous cross-saturation, chemical shift perturbation experiments on the protein, information from mutational analysis, and electrostatics calculations have been used to produce a detailed docked structure using the known solution conformation of the free protein and other spectroscopic information about the Mbp1:DNA complex. A Monte Carlo-based docking procedure with restrained MD in a fully solvated system subjected to available experimental constraints produced models that account for the available structural data, and can rationalize the extensive thermodynamic data about the Mbp1:DNA complex. The protein:DNA interface is closely packed and is associated with a small number of specific contacts. The structure shows an extensive positively charged surface that accounts for the high polyelectrolyte contribution to binding.