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Devasenan Devendra

Publications and source records attributed to Devasenan Devendra.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

Endocrine autoantibodies.

The autoantibody assays that exist and that are being refined are of increasing importance to a broad spectrum of endocrine disorders. This is particularly true for type IA diabetes, which is one of the best-studied organ-specific autoimmune diseases. Autoantibodies are used as valuable markers in prediction and prevention studies of type IA diabetes. Autoantibodies related to other endocrine organs are also important because multiple related autoimmune endocrine and non-endocrine disorders are increased in frequency in patients and their families with autoimmunity. The availability of highly sensitive and specific autoantibody assays for the various endocrine disorders can allow physicians to better diagnose and promptly treat these conditions.

Autoantibodies↗

Preventing peptide-induced anaphylaxis: addition of C-terminal amino acids to produce a neutral isoelectric point.

BACKGROUND: Progress in peptide immunotherapy for the treatment of autoimmune diseases has been hampered by reports of anaphylactic reactions in both mice and human subjects. Fatal anaphylaxis in nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice has been described after repeated subcutaneous insulin peptide B:9-23 immunizations. On the basis of observations that rapid systemic delivery of peptide to a sensitized mouse (eg, intravenous delivery) increases the anaphylactic response, it was hypothesized that slowing down the absorption of the peptide would prevent anaphylaxis. OBJECTIVES: We sought to prevent anaphylaxis from B:9-23 peptide by altering the isoelectric point (pI) to neutral, thereby decreasing solubility and rate of absorption after subcutaneous injection. METHODS: B:9-23 peptide was modified by the addition of 2 arginine (RR) amino acids to the C-terminus to create B:9-23RR, thereby increasing the pI from 5.4 to 7.0. Both native and modified B:9-23 peptide were tested for the ability to induce anaphylaxis in a NOD mouse model of self-peptide anaphylaxis. RESULTS: This modification resulted in a peptide vaccine with decreased solubility when administered subcutaneously at a neutral pH. B:9-23RR significantly protected NOD mice from peptide-induced anaphylaxis compared with B:9-23 peptide. Furthermore, B:9-23RR peptide retains its ability to induce insulin autoantibodies and prevent diabetes in NOD mice. CONCLUSION: The modification of the pI of a peptide vaccine might be a generalizable method to prevent anaphylaxis without changing the immunologic properties.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Genetic differentiation of poly I:C from B:9-23 peptide induced experimental autoimmune diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes is an immune-mediated disease, in which T cells of the adaptive immune system mediate beta cell destruction. Recently the innate immune system has been linked to etiopathogenesis of several autoimmune diseases including type 1 diabetes, as innate effector cells (e.g. dendritic cells, monocytes/macrophages and NK cells) can prime and promote or regulate (auto)immune responses. We have previously developed an experimental autoimmune diabetes (EAD) model with insulin peptide B:9-23 immunization in transgenic H-2(d)mice expressing the costimulatory molecule B7.1 in their islets (under the Rat Insulin Promotor, RIP). We compared the induction of diabetes with polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (Poly I:C), a mimic of double stranded viral RNA versus insulin B:9-23 peptide in mice following backcrossing of the B7.1 transgene on to BALB/c mice from original B7.1 C57Bl/6 mice. We find that diabetes induction by Poly I:C is C57Bl/6 associated, whereas B:9-23 peptide induced diabetes and induction of insulin autoantibodies (IAA) are dependent on BALB/c genes. This B:9-23 peptide induced diabetes is consistent with MHC class II H-2(d)being necessary for the response to this peptide. Of note Poly I:C induction of diabetes was lost while B:9-23 induction was retained with backcrossing to BALB/c mice. Interaction of genes and environment (antigenic epitope and viral mimic) can be important in the pathogenesis of immune mediated diabetes and activation of the innate immune system (e.g. Poly I:C) may be one key determinant.

Animals↗

Evidence for a primary islet autoantigen (preproinsulin 1) for insulitis and diabetes in the nonobese diabetic mouse.

It has been reported that an insulin 2 gene knockout, when bred onto nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice, accelerates diabetes. We produced insulin 1 gene knockout congenic NOD mice. In contrast to insulin 2, diabetes and insulitis were markedly reduced in insulin 1 knockout mice, with decreased and delayed diabetes in heterozygous females and no insulitis and diabetes in most homozygous female mice. Lack of insulitis was found for insulin 1 female homozygous knockout mice at 8, 12, and 37 weeks of age. Despite a lack of insulitis, insulin 1 homozygous knockout mice spontaneously expressed insulin autoantibodies. Administration of insulin peptide B:9-23 of both insulin 1 and 2 to NOD mice induced insulin autoantibodies. Insulin 1 is not the only lymphocytic target of NOD mice. Insulin 1 homozygous knockout islets, when transplanted into recently diabetic wild-type NOD mice, became infiltrated with lymphocytes and only transiently reversed diabetes. These observations indicate that loss of either insulin gene can influence progression to diabetes of NOD mice and suggest that the preproinsulin 1 gene is crucial for the spontaneous development of NOD insulitis and diabetes.

Animals↗

17. Immunologic endocrine disorders.

Immune-mediated tissue destruction or disregulation is the cause of multiple common, as well as rare, endocrine disorders including type 1 diabetes, Graves' disease, Hashimoto thyroiditis, and Addison's disease. Each of these disorders can be divided into a series of stages beginning with genetic susceptibility, environmental triggering events, and active autoimmunity, followed by metabolic abnormalities with overt disease. Common genetic susceptibility is suggested by the clustering of a series of disorders in the same individual and his or her family. A major portion of the genetic susceptibility lies in the HLA region, but for several disorders, mutation of transcription factors underlies disease susceptibility (eg, X-linked polyendocrinopathy, immune deficiency and diarrhea, and autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 1). With improving immunogenetic and pathogenic understanding, type 1A diabetes is now predictable, and excellent autoantibody screening assays are available. This knowledge, combined with studies in animal models, has led to trials for the prevention of diabetes. In addition, aberrant immunologic reactions (eg, insulin autoantibodies after insulin therapy, Graves' disease after monoclonal anti-T-cell therapy in multiple sclerosis) can complicate standard and experimental therapies. We therefore believe that an understanding of the immunogenetics and immunopathogenesis of endocrine disorders can aid in the prevention of morbidity and mortality for these related diseases.

Endocrine System Diseases↗