CD4⁺ T cells from individuals with type 1 diabetes respond to a novel class of deamidated peptides formed in pancreatic islets

The β-cell plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes, in part through the post-translational modification of self-proteins by biochemical processes such as deamidation. These neoantigens are potential triggers for breaking immune tolerance. We report the detection by LC-MS/MS of 16 novel Gln and 27 novel Asn deamidations in 14 disease-related proteins within inflammatory cytokine-stressed human islets of Langerhans. T-cell clones responsive against one Gln and three Asn deamidated peptides could be isolated from peripheral blood of individuals with type 1 diabetes. Ex vivo HLA class II tetramer staining detected higher T-cell frequencies in individuals with the disease compared to control individuals. Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between the frequencies of T cells specific for deamidated peptides, insulin antibody levels at diagnosis, and duration of disease. These results highlight that stressed human islets are prone to enzymatic and biochemical deamidation and suggest that both Gln and Asn deamidated peptides can promote the activation and expansion of autoreactive CD4⁺ T cells. These findings add to the growing evidence that post-translational modifications undermine tolerance and may open the road for the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic applications for individuals living with type 1 diabetes.