Engineering the insulin signal peptide to protect human pancreatic beta cells from autoimmune destruction
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: The autoreactive T cells that destroy beta cells in type 1 diabetes are largely targeting insulin signal peptide fragments. HLA knockout beta-cells have been proposed to create hypo-immune cells, but this strategy poses significant tumorigenic risks. As an alternative, we hypothesized that insulin signal peptide modification would give rise to beta-cells evading autoimmune recognition while maintaining insulin functionality. Here, we developed human beta-cell lines lacking endogenous insulin that we complemented with insulin carrying signal peptides from different hormones including chromogranin-A. We evaluated insulin synthesis, processing, secretion, activity, and immune evasion. Chromogranin-A signal peptide substitution directed insulin expression, maturation and secretion, maintaining physiological proinsulin/insulin ratios. Secreted insulin remained functional. Crucially, beta-cells expressing insulin with chromogranin-A signal peptide evaded recognition and killing by autoreactive T cells without inducing ER stress or compromising cellular identity. This approach may offer a targeted alternative to systemic immunosuppression to be used in stem-cell-derived therapies by engineering endogenous insulin locus.
ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens
PROVIDER: GSE324575 | GEO | 2026/08/13
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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