Publications
Cell reportsMar 2025 |
44
(
4
),
115425
DOI:
10.1016/j.celrep.2025.115425

Activated polyreactive B cells are clonally expanded in autoantibody positive and patients with recent-onset type 1 diabetes

Nicholas, Catherine A; Tensun, Fatima A; Evans, Spencer A; Toole, Kevin P; Prendergast, Jessica E; Broncucia, Hali; Hesselberth, Jay R; Gottlieb, Peter A; Wells, Kristen L; Smith, Mia J
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Abstract
Autoreactive B cells play an important but ill-defined role in autoimmune type 1 diabetes (T1D). We isolated pancreatic islet antigen-reactive B cells from the peripheral blood of non-diabetic autoantibody-negative first-degree relatives, autoantibody-positive, and recent-onset T1D donors. Single-cell RNA sequencing analysis revealed that islet antigen-reactive B cells from autoantibody-positive and T1D donors had altered gene expression in pathways associated with B cell signaling and inflammation. Additionally, BCR sequencing uncovered a similar shift in islet antigen-reactive B cell repertoires among autoantibody-positive and T1D donors where greater clonal expansion was also observed. Notably, a substantial fraction of islet antigen-reactive B cells in autoantibody-positive and T1D donors appeared to be polyreactive, which was corroborated by analysis of recombinant monoclonal antibodies. These results expand our understanding of autoreactive B cell phenotypes during T1D and identify unique BCR repertoire changes that may serve as biomarkers for increased disease risk.
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