Developing a novel model system to target insulin-reactive CD8 T cells

Abstract

CD8 T cells play an important role in autoimmune diabetes development, and therefore removing these cells may protect against disease. To test this, we designed a novel method using engineered cells (InsCD3-zeta) to target insulin-specific CD8 T cells. Insulin-reactive target cells were cultured with InsCD3-zeta CD8 T cells and cytotoxicity was assessed. Activated, but not naïve, InsCD3-zeta CD8 T cells readily killed insulin-reactive target CD8 T cells. This approach to immunotarget relevant pathogenic CD8 T cells may be a therapeutic option to delay or prevent type 1 diabetes.