Analysis of the nonobese diabetic mouse islet MHC-II peptidome reveals posttranslationally modified autoantigens

Abstract

Abstract Autoimmune diabetes results from the destruction of insulin-producing beta cells, a process initiated by CD4 T cells recognizing MHC-II bound beta cell-derived peptides. We identified MHC-II bound peptides in the islets and throughout the peripheral lymphatic system in order to better understand diabetes initiation and progression. Toward this end, we performed unbiased nanoflow liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (nLC-MS/MS) analysis to obtain sequence information for MHC-II peptides isolated from islets, pancreatic lymph nodes and spleens of nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice. Peptides derived from beta cell proteins were further examined for their relative I-Ag7 binding strength and CD4 T cell autoreactivity. For a discussion of the major immunogenic peptides derived from the B chain of insulin and from C peptide, see the abstract of Wan et al. Herein we discuss the finding of a deamidated C peptide fragment and our search for fused peptides. We identified the deamidated insulin-1 C peptide fragment Ins1C:51–61, LQTLALEVARE. Evidence in the literature supports this C-terminal deamidation as being spontaneous rather than enzyme-mediated. Deamidation improved I-Ag7 binding compared to the wild type peptide and increased its immunogenicity, demonstrating the biological importance of this modification. The homologous peptide from insulin-2 was not identified, indicating a possible sequence bias for spontaneous deamidation. We identified only one fused peptide bound to I-Ag7, an insulin C peptide-islet amyloid polypeptide hybrid insulin peptide (HIP) that matches the previously reported HIP6.9. We also identified several free fused peptides in crinosomes and posit this as the probable site of their formation.