Human islet antigen reactive CD4+ memory T cells (IAR T cells) play a key role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune type 1 diabetes (T1D). Using single cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) to identify T cell receptors (TCRs) in IAR T cells, we identified a multi-specific class of T1D-associated T cell receptors (TCRs) that share TCR alpha chains […]
Category: Current nPOD Projects
Lipid droplet distribution study in human pancreas
In collaboration with Dr. Alvin Powers’ at Vanderbilt University, we showed by electron microscopy (EM) that transplanted human islets have a much higher level of lipid droplets (LDs) than transplanted mouse islets (1). Moreover, we found that the number of LDs in transplanted human islets was increased in high fat diet (HFD) fed mouse recipients. […]
Understanding diabetes progression via tissue chemical imaging
Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a devastating multifactorial disorder manifested by the autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing beta cells leading to insulin deficiency. Our overarching aim is to investigate the spaciochemical changes in the human exocrine and endocrine pancreata during various stages of T1D with unmatched chemical specificity and multiplexity. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry […]
Islet Pathology in Cystic Fibrosis
Insulin deficiency is a common feature of cystic fibrosis (CF), resulting in CF-related diabetes (CFRD) in ~20% of adolescents and ~50% of adults with the disease. The clinical consequences of insulin deficiency in CF are significant – CFRD is associated with worsened CF lung disease and increased morbidity and mortality. The loss of exocrine pancreatic […]