Beta cell-specific CD8⁺ T cells maintain stem cell memory-associated epigenetic programs during type 1 diabetes.

ABSTRACT: The pool of beta cell-specific CD8⁺ T cells in type 1 diabetes (T1D) sustains an autoreactive potential despite having access to a constant source of antigen. To investigate the long-lived nature of these cells, we established a DNA methylation-based T cell 'multipotency index' and found that beta cell-specific CD8⁺ T cells retained a stem-like epigenetic multipotency score. Single-cell assay for transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing confirmed the coexistence of naive and effector-associated epigenetic programs in individual beta cell-specific CD8⁺ T cells. Assessment of beta cell-specific CD8⁺ T cell anatomical distribution and the establishment of stem-associated epigenetic programs revealed that self-reactive CD8⁺ T cell

SUBMITTER: Abdelsamed HA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7183435 | biostudies-literature | 2020 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature