How beta cells’ cleanup process may create targets for type 1 diabetes
The role of beta-cell crinophagy in generating diabetogenic neoepitopes
This research looks at whether the way insulin-producing beta cells break down their own proteins can create new targets that trigger type 1 diabetes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11330171 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, the team will study how beta cells use a cleanup pathway called crinophagy to dispose of excess insulin granules and whether that process produces altered protein fragments that the immune system attacks. They will catalog peptides and chemical changes on those peptides using immunopeptidomics and mass spectrometry on lab models and available human samples. The researchers will test whether immune cells that drive type 1 diabetes recognize these modified fragments. The work aims to pinpoint specific neoepitopes that could explain why the immune system targets insulin-producing cells.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with type 1 diabetes—especially those newly diagnosed—or individuals at high risk (for example, family members with autoantibodies) could be relevant for sample donation or related participation.
Not a fit: People with autoimmune conditions that do not involve pancreatic beta cells, or those unable to access the study site, are unlikely to directly benefit from this specific work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could identify specific altered beta-cell protein fragments that trigger type 1 diabetes and suggest new ways to prevent or stop the autoimmune attack.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have found modified beta-cell peptides that can provoke immune responses, but linking those neoepitopes specifically to the crinophagy pathway is a newer idea that has not yet been proven.
Where this research is happening
Saint Louis, United States
- Washington University — Saint Louis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wan, Xiaoxiao — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Wan, Xiaoxiao
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.