Weak Proinsulin Peptide–Major Histocompatibility Complexes Are Targeted in Autoimmune Diabetes in Mice

OBJECTIVE—Weak major histocompatibility complex (MHC) binding of self-peptides has been proposed as a mechanism that may contribute to autoimmunity by allowing for escape of autoreactive T-cells from the thymus. We examined the relationship between the MHC-binding characteristics of a β-cell antigen epitope and T-cell autoreactivity in a model of autoimmune diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—The binding of a proinsulin epitope, proinsulin-1(47–64) (PI-1[47–64]), to the MHC class II molecules I-A(g7) and I-A(k) was measured using purified class II molecules. T-cell reactivity to the proinsulin epitope was examined in I-A(g7+) and I-A(k+) mice. RESULTS—C-peptide epitopes bound very weakly to I-A(g7) molecules. However, C-peptide–reactive T-cells were induced after immunization in I-A(g7)–bearing mice (NOD and B6.g7) but not in I-A(k)–bearing mice (B10.BR and NOD.h4). T-cells reactive with the PI-1(47–64) peptide were found spontaneously in the peripancreatic lymph nodes of pre-diabetic NOD mice. These T-cells were activated by freshly isolated β-cells in the presence of antigen-presenting cells and caused diabetes when transferred into NOD.scid mice. CONCLUSIONS—These data demonstrate an inverse relationship between self-peptide–MHC binding and T-cell autoreactivity for the PI-1(47–64) epitope in autoimmune diabetes.