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Immune reactivity to a homologue of wheat storage globulin, Glb1 in human type 1 diabetes
Author(s) -
Mojibian Majid,
Strom Alexander,
MacFarlane Amanda J,
Scott Fraser W
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.21.6.a771
Subject(s) - immune system , immunology , antibody , peripheral blood mononuclear cell , biology , biochemistry , in vitro
Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a T cell mediated autoimmune disease dependent on gene‐environment interaction. A wheat storage globulin with 80% amino acid homology to Glb1 (referred to as Glb1), was identified as the first candidate diabetes‐related wheat protein in diabetes‐prone rats. Glb1 antibodies were also found in pooled diabetic serum (MacFarlane et al ., JBC, 2003). In this study, we evaluated the response of peripheral blood T cells to recombinant Glb1 protein in T1D patients and healthy controls. T cell response was measured using a CFSE proliferation assay and reported as cell division index (CDI). Th1 and Th2 cytokines were analyzed using cytometric bead arrays. Glb1 antibodies were evaluated by ELISA. T1D patients showed a higher mean CDI in response to Glb1. More than 1/3 of patients were responders (CDI > control mean + 3 SD). Cytokine analysis of the culture supernatant from Glb1‐stimulated PBMC of patients showed a Th1 response, with IFN‐γ most abundant. Approximately 25% of patients displayed Glb1 antibody levels higher than the control group mean + 2 SD. This study demonstrates high T cell reactivity with a Th1 response and antibodies to Glb1 in a subset of T1D patients. Further study is required to determine whether Glb1 plays a direct role in the pathogenesis of T1D or whether immune reactivity against this protein is a biomarker of a related process. (Supported by JDRF and CIHR)