Spontaneous Type-1-Diabetes Humanized Transgenics Help Unveil Pathophysiology of Human Diabetes and Allow for Disease-Reverting CAR-Treg Immunotherapy

We have generated a new transgenic mouse model of Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) in which mouse Major Histocompatibility Complex-II (MHC-II) molecules were replaced with human DQ8 in all antigen-presenting cells. Our mice also express human Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase, isoform 65 (GAD65) in pancreatic beta cells as humans do. Our humanized mouse-model has the closest known phenotype to human T1D and is most suitable for addressing pathophysiology and treatment of the disease. To that end, we have developed pancreatic beta-cell, antigen-specific, Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T regulatory cells (Tregs) and explored their therapeutic potential against T1D. Ours is the first report of a successful, antigen-specific CAR-Treg treatment of T1D in a new model that closely resembles the human disease. Conceivably, treatment with antigen-specific CAR-Tregs will allow for recovery and reconstitution of beta cells in humans as well.