Ken Coppieters

Dimorphic histopathology of long-standing childhood-onset diabetes

Aims/hypothesisChildhood diabetes is thought to usually result from autoimmune beta cell destruction (type 1A) with eventual total loss of beta cells. Analysis of C-peptide in children characterised at diabetes onset for autoantibodies shows heterogeneous preservation of insulin secretion in long-standing diabetes. The aim of this study was to characterise the pancreases of childhood-onset diabetes in order to define the pathological basis of this heterogeneity.MethodsWe evaluated 20 cadaveric organ donor pancreases of childhood-onset long-term patients for disease heterogeneity and obtained corresponding C-peptide measurements.ResultsPancreases from the majority of cadaveric donors contained only insulin-deficient islets (14 of 20). The remaining six patients (30%) had numerous insulin-positive cells within at least some islets, with two different histological patterns. Pattern A (which we would associate with type 1A diabetes) had lobular retention of areas with ‘abnormal’ beta cells producing the apoptosis inhibitor survivin and HLA class I. In pattern B, 100% of all islets contained normal-appearing but quantitatively reduced beta cells without survivin or HLA class I.Conclusions/interpretationOur data demonstrate that C-peptide secretion in long-standing diabetic patients can be explained by two different patterns of beta cell survival, possibly reflecting different subsets of type 1 diabetes.

Trials in type 1 diabetes: Antigen-specific therapies

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) results from an aberrant immunological response against the insulin-producing beta cells in the islets of the pancreas. The ideal therapy would restore immune balance in a safe and lasting fashion, stopping the process of beta cell decay. The efficacy of immune suppressive agents such as cyclosporin underscores the notion that T1D can in principle be prevented, albeit at an unacceptable long-term safety risk. Immune modulatory drugs such as monoclonal anti-CD3 antibody, on the other hand, have recently had rather disappointing results in phase 3 trials, possibly due to inadequate dosing or choice of inappropriate endpoints. Therefore, it is argued that striking the right balance between safety and efficacy, together with careful trial design, will be paramount in preventing T1D. Here we outline the concept of antigen-specific tolerization as a strategy to safely induce long-term protection against T1D, focusing on available clinical trial data, key knowledge gaps and potential future directions.

Functional Redundancy of CXCR3/CXCL10 Signaling in the Recruitment of Diabetogenic Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes to Pancreatic Islets in a Virally Induced Autoimmune Diabetes Model

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) constitute a major effector population in pancreatic islets from patients suffering from type 1 diabetes (T1D) and thus represent attractive targets for intervention. Some studies have suggested that blocking the interaction between the chemokine CXCL10 and its receptor CXCR3 on activated CTLs potently inhibits their recruitment and prevents β-cell death. Since recent studies on human pancreata from T1D patients have indicated that both ligand and receptor are abundantly present, we reevaluated whether their interaction constitutes a pivotal node within the chemokine network associated with T1D. Our present data in a viral mouse model challenge the notion that specific blockade of the CXCL10/CXCR3 chemokine axis halts T1D onset and progression.

Non-antigenic and antigenic interventions in type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) results from autoimmune destruction of the pancreatic β-cells. Current T1D therapies are exclusively focused on regulating glycemia rather than the underlying immune response. A handful of trials have sought to alter the clinical course of T1D using various broad immune-suppressors, e.g., cyclosporine A and azathioprine.1–3 The effect on β-cell preservation was significant, however, these therapies were associated with unacceptable side-effects. In contrast, more recent immunomodulators, such as anti-CD3 and antigenic therapies such as DiaPep277, provide a more targeted immunomodulation and have been generally well-tolerated and safe; however, as a monotherapy there appear to be limitations in terms of therapeutic benefit. Therefore, we argue that this new generation of immune-modifying agents will likely work best as part of a combination therapy. This review will summarize current immune-modulating therapies under investigation and discuss how to move the field of immunotherapy in T1D forward.

Abatacept Treatment Does Not Preserve Renal Function in the Streptozocin-Induced Model of Diabetic Nephropathy

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the most severe complications of diabetes and remains the largest cause of end-stage renal disease in the Western world. Treatment options are limited and novel therapies that effectively slow disease progression are warranted. Previous work suggested that treatment with CTLA4-Ig (abatacept), a molecule that binds and blocks B7-1 and is licensed for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, could ameliorate DN. This study was designed to assess whether B7-1 signalling constitutes a promising therapeutic pathway for DN. Mice injected with streptozotocin (STZ) were treated with abatacept and glycemia and renal function were assessed. No differences were found in diabetes progression, albumin excretion rates or albumin/creatine ratios, while mesangial expansion was unaltered at endpoint. Except for increased renal CCL5, treatment did not affect a panel of gene expression endpoints reflecting early fibrotic changes, inflammation and kidney injury. Finally, abatacept treatment effectively reduced the accumulation of activated CD4+ T cells in the kidney, suggesting that renal T cell inflammation is not a driving factor in the pathology of the STZ model. In conjunction with the recent data discounting the expression of B7-1 on podocytes, our present data do not support a role for abatacept in DN treatment.

Oral insulin (human, murine, or porcine) does not prevent diabetes in the non-obese diabetic mouse.

Studies have shown oral insulin prevents type 1 diabetes (T1D) in mouse models, however human trials were inconclusive. We tested the ability of different insulins to prevent T1D in non-obese diabetic mice. Mice received oral insulin or PBS twice weekly and disease was monitored. Contrary to previous studies, no insulin tested showed significant ability to prevent T1D, nor did testing of linked suppression in a delayed type hypersensitivity model have reproducible effect. To investigate delivery of antigen within the GI tract, blue dye was fed to mice. Dye traveled 5-8 cm from stomach to small intestine within 10s, suggesting orally administered antigen may not get digested in the stomach in mice. Insulin incubated with jejunum extracts was instantly digested. Thus, in humans large doses of insulin may be required to achieve tolerance as antigen may be more vulnerable to digestion in the stomach even before reaching the small intestine.

Metabolic syndrome – Removing roadblocks to therapy: Antigenic immunotherapies

Up to 25 per cent of the world׳s adult population may have the metabolic syndrome, a condition closely associated with central obesity. The metabolic syndrome is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes and therefore represents an important worldwide health problem. In addition to metabolic abnormalities such as raised fasting plasma glucose, high cholesterol and high blood pressure, there is consensus that obese subjects develop a state of low-grade chronic immune activation. This sustained pro-inflammatory response in fat tissue is thought to worsen insulin resistance and dyslipidemia. Likewise, the immune system contributes to the detrimental cascade of events leading to plaque formation in atherosclerosis. It has long been assumed that the innate arm of the immune system was the only key player, but emerging evidence suggests that there is in fact a sizeable adaptive immune component to obesity and cardiovascular disease. From a therapeutic perspective, it could be envisioned that immune modulation drugs such as cytokine inhibitors, co-stimulation blockers or anti-T cell agents could offer benefit. It is questionable, however, whether chronic treatment with for instance biologicals will have a favorable risk/benefit profile in a silent condition such as the metabolic syndrome. An attractive alternative could be the development of antigen-specific T cell therapies, not unlike those currently in various phases of development for type 1 diabetes. In this article, we will give an overview of antigen-specific treatment modalities in type 1 diabetes, followed by a review of the evidence for T cell involvement in obesity and atherosclerosis.

Anti-IL-21 monoclonal antibody combined with liraglutide effectively reverses established hyperglycemia in mouse models of type 1 diabetes

Immunotherapy for type 1 diabetes (T1D) has previously focused on suppressing the autoimmune response against pancreatic beta cells to preserve endogenous insulin production and regulate glucose levels. With increased attention toward combination therapy strategies, studies indicate the multifunctional cytokine interleukin-21 (IL-21) may be a suitable target as an immuno-modulatory arm, while glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonists may be appropriate as a beta cell protective arm in combination therapy for T1D. We report here that treatment with anti-IL-21 monoclonal antibody delays diabetes onset in the spontaneous non-obese diabetic (NOD) and NOD.scid adoptive transfer models, while its effect in reversing recent-onset hyperglycemia is limited. However, the combination of anti-IL-21 plus the GLP-1R agonist liraglutide is effective in reversing established disease compared to either monotherapy in both the NOD and rat insulin promotor-lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus glycoprotein (RIP-LCMV-GP) models of autoimmune diabetes. Enhanced efficacy is particularly evident in severely hyperglycemic mice, with return to normoglycemia remaining stable for the majority of mice even after therapy is withdrawn. Importantly, increased beta cell proliferation does not appear to be the predominant mechanism. In conclusion, combination therapy with anti-IL-21 and liraglutide is able to consistently reverse disease in mouse models of T1D. The observed effects rival the most effective experimental disease-modifying treatments tested in preclinical studies.

The Type 1 Diabetes Signature: Hardwired to Trigger Inflammation?

According to a Vietnamese proverb, brothers and sisters are as close as hands and feet. This proverb is meant to describe siblings’ shared origin and resemblance yet also hints at their ability to act independently. Applied to type 1 diabetic (T1D) families, it appears that while an overactive immune system may be a common trait, each family member’s body tends to have a particular way of dealing with that imbalance. In this issue of Diabetes , Chen et al. (1) reveal that healthy T1D family members share a proinflammatory gene expression signature with their diabetic probands, regardless of HLA-associated risk or autoantibody status. Whether the observed inflammatory state progresses to overt disease, and at what pace, seems to depend on an individual’s ability to counteract inflammation. T1D is a polygenic autoimmune disease that is characterized by innate and adaptive immunity against β-cell components (2). Among the array of susceptibility genes, HLA-associated risk represents the lion’s share. It is widely acknowledged that environmental challenges are involved in genetically at-risk subjects’ progression toward autoantibody development and clinical onset (3). Monozygotic twins, for instance, show a significant degree of concordance in islet autoimmunity despite great temporal variation, suggesting a putative external trigger (4). At present, no therapy exists that can halt the immune-mediated destruction of β-cells. Some highly anticipated late-stage trials in recently diagnosed patients had disappointing results, most notably with anti-CD3 therapy (5). One reason may be that around the time of diagnosis—when most functional β-cell mass is destroyed—the …

Antibody cross‐reactivity and the viral aetiology of type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is caused by the destruction of insulin‐producing pancreatic β cells by the patients immune system. While the underlying genetics and immunopathology are fairly well characterized, the environmental trigger remains unidentified. Numerous studies have centred on the role of enteroviruses as aetiological factors that could initiate or accelerate T1D development. The most convincing evidence to date consists of an array of reports documenting the presence of enteroviral nucleic acids in peripheral blood at diagnosis. A prominent hypothesis is that enteroviruses may infect the pancreatic islets and thus be responsible for the islet‐specific up‐regulation of MHC class I that is commonly observed, possibly enabling T cell recognition and cytotoxicity. Past immunohistochemical studies have indeed shown that antibodies binding the enteroviral capsid protein VP1 preferentially stain the pancreatic β cells from diabetic individuals. New data now indicate that the VP1 antibody used in these studies cross‐reacts with mitochondrial proteins. Copyright