Islet autoantigen

Islet autoantigens are a group of proteins primarily expressed in the pancreatic beta cells that serve as the primary targets of the autoimmune attack in Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) [2, 7]. The most prominent members include insulin (and its precursor proinsulin), glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 (GAD65), insulinoma-associated protein 2 (IA-2), and zinc transporter 8 (ZnT8) [4, 6]. Biologically, these molecules are involved in critical islet functions such as hormone synthesis, zinc transport, and the regulation of the secretory pathway [2, 4]. In T1D, the loss of immune tolerance to these antigens leads to the activation of autoreactive T cells and the production of autoantibodies, ultimately resulting in the destruction of insulin-producing beta cells [1, 9]. Therapeutically, islet antigens are the focus of antigen-specific immunotherapies (ASI) aimed at re-establishing immune tolerance and preserving residual beta-cell function [7, 8]. Clinical trials have explored the use of recombinant antigens (e.g., GAD65 vaccines like Diamyd) or peptide fragments to modulate the immune response [7, 14]. Additionally, the detection of autoantibodies against these antigens serves as a gold-standard biomarker for the diagnosis and risk stratification of T1D [6, 11].

Other names

Pancreatic islet antigensBeta-cell autoantigensIslet cell antigensIslet autoantigens

Induction of immune tolerance through antigen-specific immunotherapy and modulation of autoreactive T-cell and B-cell responses.