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Devasenan Devendra

Publications and source records attributed to Devasenan Devendra.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

Interferon-alpha as a mediator of polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid-induced type 1 diabetes.

A number of studies and clinical case reports have implicated interferon (IFN)-alpha as a potential mediator of type 1 diabetes pathogenesis. Administration of polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly I:C), a mimic of viral double-stranded RNA, induces diabetes in C57BL/6 mice expressing the B7.1 costimulatory molecule in islets. We investigated the potential role of IFN-alpha in this disease model. The quantitative correlation between IFN-alpha levels and time to diabetes, diabetes prevention with anti-IFN-alpha antibody, and ability of IFN-alpha itself to induce diabetes are consistent with the hypothesis that poly I:C in this model acts by induction of IFN-alpha in a genetically susceptible host. Numerous recent studies highlight the importance of the innate immune system and toll receptors in determining adaptive immune responses, and we speculate that for type 1 diabetes, viral and other environmental factors may act through induction of IFNs.

Aging↗

Early and quantal (by litter) expression of insulin autoantibodies in the nonobese diabetic mice predict early diabetes onset.

Aiming to study the early stages of type 1 diabetes phenotype, before insulitis appears, we measured insulin autoantibodies (IAA) between 3 and 5 wk of age in the NOD mouse (early-IAA (E-IAA)). We report that IAA are found as early as at 3 wk of age, at weaning, and their expression is a quantal phenotype. Maternal autoantibody status influences this early phenotype, because animals of litters issued from IAA-positive ante partum mothers develop E-IAA with a significantly higher incidence than animals issued from IAA-negative mothers. These E-IAA represent synthesized rather than transplacental autoantibodies, as evidenced by higher levels in many offspring compared with maternal IAA, and negative as well as positive offspring in the same litters and it correlates with early diabetes onset, defining the first autoimmune window in diabetes pathogenesis. Therefore, autoimmune processes leading to type 1 diabetes initiate early in life, are influenced by maternal autoantibody status, and can be revealed by the presence of IAA. Our data suggest that the mechanisms responsible for the breakdown of self-tolerance are subjected not only to genetic predisposition, but also to the physiological status of the mother. Pathological progression to autoimmunity is marked by the presence of immunological windows relating early steps with final disease onset.

Age of Onset↗

Endocrine autoantibodies.

The autoantibody assays that exist and that are being refined are of increasing importance to a broad spectrum of endocrine disorders. This is particularly true for type IA diabetes, which is one of the best-studied organ-specific autoimmune diseases. Autoantibodies are used as valuable markers in prediction and prevention studies of type IA diabetes. Autoantibodies related to other endocrine organs are also important because multiple related autoimmune endocrine and non-endocrine disorders are increased in frequency in patients and their families with autoimmunity. The availability of highly sensitive and specific autoantibody assays for the various endocrine disorders can allow physicians to better diagnose and promptly treat these conditions.

Autoantibodies↗

Preventing peptide-induced anaphylaxis: addition of C-terminal amino acids to produce a neutral isoelectric point.

BACKGROUND: Progress in peptide immunotherapy for the treatment of autoimmune diseases has been hampered by reports of anaphylactic reactions in both mice and human subjects. Fatal anaphylaxis in nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice has been described after repeated subcutaneous insulin peptide B:9-23 immunizations. On the basis of observations that rapid systemic delivery of peptide to a sensitized mouse (eg, intravenous delivery) increases the anaphylactic response, it was hypothesized that slowing down the absorption of the peptide would prevent anaphylaxis. OBJECTIVES: We sought to prevent anaphylaxis from B:9-23 peptide by altering the isoelectric point (pI) to neutral, thereby decreasing solubility and rate of absorption after subcutaneous injection. METHODS: B:9-23 peptide was modified by the addition of 2 arginine (RR) amino acids to the C-terminus to create B:9-23RR, thereby increasing the pI from 5.4 to 7.0. Both native and modified B:9-23 peptide were tested for the ability to induce anaphylaxis in a NOD mouse model of self-peptide anaphylaxis. RESULTS: This modification resulted in a peptide vaccine with decreased solubility when administered subcutaneously at a neutral pH. B:9-23RR significantly protected NOD mice from peptide-induced anaphylaxis compared with B:9-23 peptide. Furthermore, B:9-23RR peptide retains its ability to induce insulin autoantibodies and prevent diabetes in NOD mice. CONCLUSION: The modification of the pI of a peptide vaccine might be a generalizable method to prevent anaphylaxis without changing the immunologic properties.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Genetic differentiation of poly I:C from B:9-23 peptide induced experimental autoimmune diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes is an immune-mediated disease, in which T cells of the adaptive immune system mediate beta cell destruction. Recently the innate immune system has been linked to etiopathogenesis of several autoimmune diseases including type 1 diabetes, as innate effector cells (e.g. dendritic cells, monocytes/macrophages and NK cells) can prime and promote or regulate (auto)immune responses. We have previously developed an experimental autoimmune diabetes (EAD) model with insulin peptide B:9-23 immunization in transgenic H-2(d)mice expressing the costimulatory molecule B7.1 in their islets (under the Rat Insulin Promotor, RIP). We compared the induction of diabetes with polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (Poly I:C), a mimic of double stranded viral RNA versus insulin B:9-23 peptide in mice following backcrossing of the B7.1 transgene on to BALB/c mice from original B7.1 C57Bl/6 mice. We find that diabetes induction by Poly I:C is C57Bl/6 associated, whereas B:9-23 peptide induced diabetes and induction of insulin autoantibodies (IAA) are dependent on BALB/c genes. This B:9-23 peptide induced diabetes is consistent with MHC class II H-2(d)being necessary for the response to this peptide. Of note Poly I:C induction of diabetes was lost while B:9-23 induction was retained with backcrossing to BALB/c mice. Interaction of genes and environment (antigenic epitope and viral mimic) can be important in the pathogenesis of immune mediated diabetes and activation of the innate immune system (e.g. Poly I:C) may be one key determinant.

Animals↗

Distinct idiotypes of insulin autoantibody in autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 2 and childhood onset type 1 diabetes.

Insulin autoantibodies (IAA) are present in type 1 diabetes (T1D) and other autoimmune diseases. The differences in the IAA epitopes in various clinical diseases have not been evaluated. We used phage display to select phagotopes specific to IAA from a newly diagnosed T1D child (designated FPP) and from an adult-onset T1D subject with autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 2 (APS-II). The phagotopes randomly selected were tested as antiidiotope reagents to displace human radiolabeled insulin in the microfiltration radiobinding assay using IAA(+) sera from T1D subjects and insulin antibody (IA(+)) sera from insulin-treated type 2 diabetes subjects. The DNA of the phagotopes selected from the FPP and APS sera revealed consensus amino acid sequences of GRG and LGKRS, respectively. Phagotope FPP-10 displaced insulin binding in 90% of IAA(+) subjects but not in the IA(+) or the APS subject. Phagotope APS-4 was able to displace insulin binding from the APS subject but not in the IAA(+) or IA(+) subjects. We have demonstrated antiidiotope reagents able to distinguish childhood-onset T1D-associated IAA(+) from adult-onset T1D (APS-II-associated IAA(+)) that are different from their specificity for human insulin and from its antiidiotope amino acid sequence.

Adult↗

Evidence for a primary islet autoantigen (preproinsulin 1) for insulitis and diabetes in the nonobese diabetic mouse.

It has been reported that an insulin 2 gene knockout, when bred onto nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice, accelerates diabetes. We produced insulin 1 gene knockout congenic NOD mice. In contrast to insulin 2, diabetes and insulitis were markedly reduced in insulin 1 knockout mice, with decreased and delayed diabetes in heterozygous females and no insulitis and diabetes in most homozygous female mice. Lack of insulitis was found for insulin 1 female homozygous knockout mice at 8, 12, and 37 weeks of age. Despite a lack of insulitis, insulin 1 homozygous knockout mice spontaneously expressed insulin autoantibodies. Administration of insulin peptide B:9-23 of both insulin 1 and 2 to NOD mice induced insulin autoantibodies. Insulin 1 is not the only lymphocytic target of NOD mice. Insulin 1 homozygous knockout islets, when transplanted into recently diabetic wild-type NOD mice, became infiltrated with lymphocytes and only transiently reversed diabetes. These observations indicate that loss of either insulin gene can influence progression to diabetes of NOD mice and suggest that the preproinsulin 1 gene is crucial for the spontaneous development of NOD insulitis and diabetes.

Animals↗

17. Immunologic endocrine disorders.

Immune-mediated tissue destruction or disregulation is the cause of multiple common, as well as rare, endocrine disorders including type 1 diabetes, Graves' disease, Hashimoto thyroiditis, and Addison's disease. Each of these disorders can be divided into a series of stages beginning with genetic susceptibility, environmental triggering events, and active autoimmunity, followed by metabolic abnormalities with overt disease. Common genetic susceptibility is suggested by the clustering of a series of disorders in the same individual and his or her family. A major portion of the genetic susceptibility lies in the HLA region, but for several disorders, mutation of transcription factors underlies disease susceptibility (eg, X-linked polyendocrinopathy, immune deficiency and diarrhea, and autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 1). With improving immunogenetic and pathogenic understanding, type 1A diabetes is now predictable, and excellent autoantibody screening assays are available. This knowledge, combined with studies in animal models, has led to trials for the prevention of diabetes. In addition, aberrant immunologic reactions (eg, insulin autoantibodies after insulin therapy, Graves' disease after monoclonal anti-T-cell therapy in multiple sclerosis) can complicate standard and experimental therapies. We therefore believe that an understanding of the immunogenetics and immunopathogenesis of endocrine disorders can aid in the prevention of morbidity and mortality for these related diseases.

Endocrine System Diseases↗