Autoantigen-specific memory CD4+ T cells are prevalent early in progression to Type 1 diabetes

V Öling, H Reijonen, O Simell, M Knip, J Ilonen - Cellular immunology, 2012 - Elsevier
Autoreactive CD4+ T cells contribute to the destruction of insulin producing beta cells in
Type 1 diabetes (T1D). Using MHC class II tetramers, we have analyzed the frequency of
GAD65-(274–286; 555–567) and insulin-(A1–15; A6–21) specific CD4+ T cells in 31
children with T1D, 65 multiple autoantibody-positive children and 93 HLA-and age-matched
controls. In a smaller group of children T-cell responses of memory origin to the same
autoantigens were investigated. We observed a higher response to GAD65 555–567 in the …