Immune perturbations in human pancreas lymphatic tissues prior to and after type 1 diabetes onset
Gregory J. Golden, Vincent H. Wu, Jacob T. Hamilton, Kevin R. Amses, Melanie R. Shapiro, Alberto Sada Japp, Chengyang Liu, M. Betina Pampena, Leticia Kuri-Cervantes, James J. Knox, Jay Gardner, Mark A. Atkinson, Todd M. Brusko, Eline T. Luning Prak, Klaus H. Kaestner, Ali Naji, Michael R. Betts
Abstract
Autoimmune destruction of pancreatic β cells results in type 1 diabetes (T1D), with pancreatic immune infiltrate representing a key feature in this process. However, characterization of the immunological processes occurring in human pancreatic lymphatic tissues is lacking. Here, we conduct a comprehensive study of immune cells from pancreatic, mesenteric, and splenic lymphatic tissues of non-diabetic control (ND), β cell autoantibody-positive non-diabetic (AAb+), and T1D donors using flow cytometry and CITEseq. Compared to ND pancreas-draining lymph nodes (pLN), AAb+ and T1D donor pLNs display decreased CD4+ Treg and increased stem-like CD8+ T cell signatures, while only T1D donor pLNs exhibit naive T cell and NK cell differentiation. Mesenteric LNs have modulations only in CD4+ Tregs and naive cells, while splenocytes lack these perturbations. Further, T cell expression of activation markers and IL7 receptor correlate with T1D genetic risk. These results demonstrate tissue-restricted immune changes occur before and after T1D onset. The status of immune cells within human pancreatic lymphatic tissues during the onset and progression of type 1 diabetes (T1D) is underexplored. Here, by flow cytometry and CITEseq, the authors profile pancreatic, mesenteric, and splenic lymphatic tissues from individuals with varying clinical statuses and identify tissue-specific immune responses associated with T1D autoimmunity.