Phenotypic characterization of HLA-DQ8-restricted insulin-specific CD4+ T cells in longterm-autoantibody positive children

Scientific question: The appearance of multiple islet-autoantibodies in children denotes a point of limited return in the immunepathogenesis of Type 1 Diabetes. However, once islet autoimmunity is established the time frame to overt diabetes is variable ranging from several months to more than two decades. We ask whether such longterm non-progressors will help to identify states of ongoing immune activation vs. regulation when compared to children with recent development of autoantibodies or fast diabetes cases. Methods: HLA-DQ8-restricted CD4+ T-cells purified from peripheral blood are identified by two newly d…